Former Fox host says ex-FBI deputy director was ‘terrified’ discussing probe into assassination attempt…
Tucker Carlson has ignited a fresh controversy surrounding the investigation into the 2024 assassination attempt against President Donald Trump, claiming former FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino privately told him that Trump personally ordered the Butler, Pennsylvania, investigation shut down.
The explosive allegation emerged during an interview Carlson conducted with entrepreneur and commentator Mario Nawfal, where Carlson discussed lingering questions surrounding the July 2024 shooting that nearly killed Trump during a campaign rally in Butler.
Carlson claimed that Bongino became “hysterical” and appeared “terrified” during a private conversation about the investigation while serving in FBI leadership. According to Carlson, Bongino told him that Trump himself halted further investigative efforts into the assassination attempt.
“I know that Trump shut down the investigation into Butler,” Carlson said. “Dan Bongino told me that when he worked at the FBI.” Carlson further claimed Bongino reacted emotionally when pressed about social media accounts allegedly connected to gunman Thomas Crooks.
Bongino Pushes Back
Carlson’s account quickly drew attention because Bongino has long been one of Trump’s most loyal allies and was appointed FBI deputy director during Trump’s second administration.
According to Mediaite, Bongino has already disputed Carlson’s version of events, though he has not publicly provided a detailed response to the specific allegation that Trump ordered the investigation curtailed.
The claim also arrives amid broader tensions within the MAGA movement, where Carlson has increasingly criticized some Trump administration officials and questioned official narratives surrounding several high-profile investigations.
FBI Previously Declared Crooks Acted Alone
Carlson’s allegations run directly against the conclusions publicly announced by FBI leadership.
Last year, the FBI said its investigation found that gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks acted alone and was not connected to any foreign government, terrorist organization, or broader conspiracy. Officials stated that investigators reviewed thousands of leads, conducted more than 1,000 interviews, examined dozens of digital accounts, and found no evidence of co-conspirators.
At the time, both FBI Director Kash Patel and Bongino publicly defended the investigation’s conclusions after reviewing evidence collected by the bureau. Trump also expressed satisfaction with the findings, according to reporting from late 2025.
Investigators concluded that Crooks, a 20-year-old Pennsylvania resident, planned and carried out the attack alone. Despite extensive forensic analysis, interviews, and intelligence reviews, authorities said they were unable to identify a clear motive and found no credible evidence linking Crooks to Iran, extremist organizations, or other conspirators.
Questions Continue to Fuel Speculation
The Butler shooting remains one of the most scrutinized events of Trump’s political career.
The attack left Trump wounded, killed rally attendee Corey Comperatore, and injured two others before Crooks was fatally shot by a Secret Service sniper. The absence of a manifesto and the lack of a clearly established motive have fueled continuing speculation across both the political right and left.
Carlson has been among the most prominent voices arguing that key questions remain unanswered. He previously released investigative content focused on Crooks’ online activity and has repeatedly criticized the FBI’s handling of the case. Federal officials have consistently rejected those criticisms and maintain that the investigation was exhaustive.
For now, Carlson’s latest allegation rests entirely on his account of a private conversation with Bongino. No documentary evidence has been publicly released to support the claim, and neither the White House nor the FBI has announced any change to the official conclusion that Crooks acted alone.
Watch Tucker Carlson’s full interview with Mario Nawfal below.
READ NEXT: ATF Rollbacks Under Trump: What Gun Owners Need To Know Now
