Judicial Watch Criticizes FBI Document Release Delays in Trump Assassination Attempt Case

Thomas Fitton, President of Judicial Watch, strongly criticized the FBI for its slow release of documents related to the 2024 assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. During an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Fitton expressed frustration, noting, “They are telling us that at current processing rates, the process will take 12 years.” He emphasized the potential inability to challenge withheld information until a decade from now, questioning the stance of FBI and DOJ leadership.

After the FBI’s initial denial of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request submitted in July 2024, Judicial Watch filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice in 2025. This FOIA request sought documents on the FBI’s investigation into Thomas Matthew Crooks, who attempted to assassinate Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Reports indicate the attempted assassin, Thomas Matthew Crooks, sent mysterious texts about a 3D printer before the shooting in Butler, PA.

Owing to the lawsuit, several document batches were released to Judicial Watch. The latest batch revealed text messages Crooks sent to an unidentified recipient, whose name the FBI redacted. Crooks, a 20-year-old from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, attempted to assassinate Trump during the rally but was shot and killed by Secret Service agents.

Fitton asserted the importance of transparency, saying, “We’re receiving these documents because they’re part of the investigation, yet we’re not being told who he was talking to.” He stressed that withholding such details raises concerns that mimic a perceived cover-up, reminiscent of the JFK situation.

The documents included brief, seemingly random texts Crooks sent between May 2023 and January 2024. Some of these messages included, “Hello … Hello red …Hello red … Hdudhdbdbbd … 7888ejdj … Yolo … Ddodjjf … 890 … Hdjd … Djdj … red … Yup red … Hello … Jhhhuuh … Hhdj … Jjjjjjjjjjjj … Hello red … Red red.” These texts lack apparent context or coherence.

Fitton acknowledged the privacy rights of those potentially associated with Crooks but argued that public interest should take precedence. “The public interest in understanding how a former president was nearly killed—and two American citizens lost their lives—outweighs any privacy interests protected in these documents,” said Fitton. He urged for a speedier court process and more accountability from the FBI and DOJ.

A previous release through FOIA disclosed that Crooks engaged in a heated argument with attendees before mounting the AGR International building’s roof to fire his weapon. Fitton described this behavior as public and erratic, not a covert action.

Referring to the volume of documents related to the incident, Fitton declared the release process’s timeline unacceptable. “Approximately 75,000 pages are involved. At 500 pages per month, it will take well over 12 years to complete,” he stated.

Fox News Digital sought comments from the FBI and U.S. Secret Service regarding the document release timeline.