Thomas Fitton, President of Judicial Watch, criticized the FBI for delaying the release of documents tied to the 2024 assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. The FBI has informed that processing the documents will take 12 years, a timeframe Fitton finds unacceptable. He expressed frustration during an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital.
Judicial Watch filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in 2025. This legal action followed the FBI’s refusal of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for documents about Thomas Matthew Crooks’ attempt to assassinate Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The lawsuit led to the release of several document batches to Judicial Watch. One recent batch exposed text messages from Crooks to an unnamed individual. The FBI redacted the recipient’s name before providing the documents. Crooks, a 20-year-old from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, tried to assassinate Trump but was shot by Secret Service agents.
Fitton criticized the withholding of information, suggesting it adds to public concerns of a cover-up. The documents included nonsensical one or two-word texts from Crooks, such as “Hello red,” “Hdudhdbdbbd,” “Yolo,” and “Hello red.” Judicial Watch raises concerns about the lack of transparency from the FBI.
The secrecy around these communications raises questions about security and the FBI’s motives. Fitton argued public interest in this case outweighs privacy concerns for any involved individuals protected by these documents. The public deserves clarity on a case involving the near-death of a former president.
Before Crooks was shot by Secret Service at the rally, he had an altercation with attendees. This contradicts the notion of a covert operation, displaying Crooks’ volatile behavior leading up to the shooting incident.
A backlog of around 75,000 pages of documents is slowing the release process. With current rates, it will take more than a decade to complete the review. Fitton called for a faster release timeline, arguing the urgency and public interest in this case.
Fox News Digital reached out to the FBI and U.S. Secret Service for comments on this slow release and transparency issues.
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