When someone tries to take the life of a sitting President, the American people deserve full transparency. But when it comes to the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump in July 2024, it seems the FBI has chosen secrecy over openness. That should alarm every citizen who believes in the rule of law, checks and balances, and our right to know the truth.
According to reports, Republican lawmakers investigating the shooter, Thomas Crooks, say the FBI “stonewalled” their efforts. That means the Bureau blocked Congress from seeing important information. Reps. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania and Pat Fallon of Texas both say the FBI kept them from reviewing files that could have helped explain Crooks’ motive and history. This is not how a constitutional republic is supposed to work.
The shooter, Thomas Crooks, was 20 years old. In the months and years before the attack, he posted disturbing things online. He talked about political violence. He shifted from supporting President Trump to hating him. He seemed obsessed with chaos and destruction. Yet, the FBI told Congress they found no evidence of ideology on his laptop. That doesn’t match what independent sources found in Crooks’ public accounts. One source told the New York Post that Crooks had been growing more violent for years, and that this change was clearly visible in his online behavior—under his real name, no less.
Why didn’t the FBI share this with Congress? Why did they hide key information from the lawmakers who are supposed to keep the federal agencies in check? Congressman Kelly said it well: “They don’t want people to handle the truth.”
This should not be a partisan issue. The FBI works for the people, not the other way around. Congress has a duty to oversee executive branch agencies. That includes the FBI. If the Bureau hides information, it breaks the trust of the American people and violates the principles of our Constitution.
Let’s remember something important here. Article I of the Constitution gives Congress the power to investigate and oversee federal agencies. This is not a suggestion—it’s a duty. The FBI does not have the right to decide what Congress can and cannot see. When it comes to an attempt on the life of the President of the United States, there is no room for hiding facts.
Congressman Fallon is now calling for a new investigation. He says the FBI never shared these key details with the committee he served on. He’s right to be concerned. The American people deserve the full story. We cannot allow powerful agencies to decide what information we get to see.
FBI Director Kash Patel stated that the Bureau reviewed over 20 online accounts, more than a dozen electronic devices, and conducted over 1,000 interviews. That sounds like a lot of work. But doing a lot doesn’t mean doing the right thing. If the FBI really did all that work, why didn’t they find—or at least share—the same dangerous online posts others found easily?
The Bureau claims that Crooks acted alone and never told anyone about his plan. That may be true. But if he had been showing signs of radicalization online for years, then someone should have seen it. Someone should have acted. And Congress certainly should have been told the full story.
This entire episode reminds us why the Constitution matters. It sets limits on government power. It protects our right to know what our government is doing. And it ensures that no agency, no matter how powerful, is above the law.
The American people were nearly robbed of a leader they chose. We must not be robbed of the truth as well.
It’s time for Congress to demand answers. It’s time for the FBI to open its files. And it’s time for We the People to remember that liberty requires eternal vigilance—especially when those in power forget who they serve.
