A prominent watchdog organization is vehemently criticizing the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for its protracted timeline in releasing thousands of documents related to the 2024 assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. The group asserts that the current processing rate would require an astonishing 12 years to make all relevant files public, a delay deemed unacceptable and potentially indicative of a lack of transparency by federal authorities.

The controversy centers on the bureau’s handling of approximately 75,000 pages of records pertaining to Thomas Matthew Crooks, the individual who attempted to assassinate Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Thomas Fitton, president of the organization, expressed profound concern over the proposed 12-year wait, highlighting that such a delay would severely impede the public’s ability to scrutinize the investigation’s findings and challenge any withheld information in a timely manner.

Watchdog group sues for transparency amid document delays

The push for greater transparency began in 2025 when the watchdog group filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). This legal action followed the FBI’s initial rejection of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request submitted in July 2024, which sought documents from the investigation into Crooks’ actions. The lawsuit has since compelled the release of several batches of documents, albeit at a pace the organization finds glacial.

According to Fitton, the sheer volume of 75,000 pages, coupled with the FBI’s processing rate of roughly 500 pages per month, translates directly into the projected 12-year wait. This timeline raises significant questions about the FBI’s commitment to public accountability, especially concerning an event of such national importance. The organization argues that delaying access to these records for over a decade undermines public trust and creates an appearance of secrecy around the incident.

Redactions obscure crucial communications from shooter’s files

Among the documents released so far, a series of text messages sent by Crooks to an unidentified recipient has emerged, but with critical redactions. The name of the correspondent was blacked out by the FBI before the files were provided to the watchdog group, sparking further alarm about the completeness of the information being disclosed. Fitton emphasized the incongruity of receiving investigative documents without key details about who the perpetrator was communicating with.

The content of these partially revealed messages, exchanged between May 2023 and January 2024, consists mainly of one or two-word texts. These fragmented communications appear largely nonsensical, including sequences like “Hello … Hello red …Hello red … Hdudhdbdbbd … 7888ejdj … Yolo … Ddodjjf … 890 … Hdjd … Djdj … red … Yup red … Hello … Jhhhuuh … Hhdj … Jjjjjjjjjjjj … Hello red … Red red.” The redaction of the recipient’s identity in these seemingly cryptic exchanges has fueled suspicions.

The decision to withhold information about Crooks’ interlocutors is particularly concerning for the watchdog, drawing comparisons to historical events shrouded in mystery, such as the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Critics argue that such opacity risks fostering public speculation and the perception of a cover-up, rather than providing clarity on a significant national security event.

Balancing privacy with the imperative of public interest

While acknowledging the reasonable expectation of privacy for individuals potentially corresponding with Crooks, Fitton strongly contends that in this specific case, the public interest profoundly outweighs those privacy concerns. He highlighted the gravity of an attempt on a former president’s life, an incident that also resulted in the deaths of two American citizens.

The watchdog group posits that understanding the full scope of how such an event nearly occurred, and who might have been involved in the periphery, is paramount for national security and public confidence. Therefore, they advocate for a judicial acceleration of the release process or increased public pressure on the FBI and DOJ to prioritize transparency in the Butler assassination investigation.

The organization’s stance is clear: the American public deserves a comprehensive understanding of the events leading up to the assassination attempt. Without a faster and more complete disclosure, the perception of federal agencies “stringing the American people along” will only intensify, according to Fitton.

Shooter’s public altercation preceding the attack

Further insights from previously released documents indicate that Crooks exhibited overtly erratic behavior shortly before the shooting. Moments before he ascended to the roof of the AGR International building, from where he fired his weapon, Crooks engaged in a heated verbal altercation with rally attendees on the ground. This public display of agitation underscores concerns about potential warning signs that may have been overlooked.

• Crooks was seen behaving erratically in a public manner at the rally.
• He engaged in a verbal dispute with individuals regarding former President Trump.
• Immediately following the altercation, he proceeded to climb onto the building’s roof.

Fitton expressed astonishment at this sequence of events, pointing out that Crooks’ actions were far from furtive. The fact that he was publicly agitated and then promptly initiated the attack raises questions about the security protocols and immediate responses at the event. The watchdog group continues to press for a full and unredacted accounting of all documents to provide a complete picture of the incident and any contributing factors.