FBI documents released on Friday reveal that Thomas Crooks, who attempted to assassinate President Trump in July 2024, exchanged messages with unidentified contacts about 3D-printed parts and other coded communications. The texts include discussions about coursework and mysterious exchanges involving "gifts" and seemingly encoded messages like "red." Additionally, the documents detail FBI extraction of images and flight logs from Crooks' drone that captured aerial photos near significant locations in Western Pennsylvania around the time of the assassination attempt.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-02,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Thomas Crooks, who attempted to assassinate President Donald Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13, 2024, exchanged mysterious text messages about a 3D printer before the shooting. FBI documents show that an "unknown contact" messaged Crooks asking if he had printed parts with his 3D printer; to which Crooks responded affirmatively except for some fan blades. Additionally, another series of cryptic one- or two-word texts between Crooks and a second redacted individual are detailed in the messages from May 21, 2023, to January 3, 2024. These exchanges were marked as pertinent to the investigation by the FBI. The documents also revealed that Crooks' father told investigators his son had attempted to create a handgun using a 3D printer and other household items like a dryer and toaster oven.
Written for “Trump Assassin Mysterious Texts” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 3 other(s) covering the same event.
President Trump’s would-be assassin, Thomas Crooks, exchanged messages with an “unknown contact” about 3D-printed “parts” and seemingly chatted in code words with another unidentified individual, FBI documents released Friday show.
asserted
documents → exchange → individual
“Did you 3D print the parts?” read a Feb. 9, 2023, message Crooks received on his Samsung device from an individual described by the FBI as an “unknown contact.”
asserted
Crooks → print → contact
Several hours later it appears that Crooks responded, “Yes, except for the fan blades.”
asserted
Crooks → appear → blades
The two then appear to discuss their coursework at different colleges.
asserted
two → appear → colleges
The messages are among dozens included in the newly-released documents that were “deemed pertinent” to the investigation of the July 13, 2024, Trump assassination attempt in Butler, Pa., the FBI noted.
asserted
FBI → include → Butler
“Woah that looks cool,” the unknown person texted Crooks just before asking about the “parts,” in response to a completely redacted message sent by the would-be Trump assassin.
asserted
person → look → assassin
Federal investigative records obtained by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and reviewed by The Post last month showed that Crooks’ father told investigators that his son owned a 3D printer and once tried to fashion his own handgun.
“Using carbon fiber plastic, a dryer and a toaster oven, Thomas did once create a Glock 19,” the gunman’s father, Matthew, told investigators.
asserted
father → obtain → investigators
Matthew explained that he tried the 3D-printed gun out, but only fired a single round from it because he feared the frame would explode.
asserted
frame → explain → it
Matthew indicated that he did not allow Thomas to use the 3D-printed Glock 19.
asserted
Thomas → indicate → Glock
Judicial Watch also obtained bizarre communications described by the FBI as a “chat thread” between Crooks and a recipient whose name is redacted.
asserted
name → obtain → Crooks
The conversation occurred between May 21, 2023, and January 3, 2024, and is largely comprised of one– or two-word messages and character strings.
uncertain
conversation → occur → messages
The incoming messages Crooks may have been responding to are not included in the document.
uncertain
Crooks → respond → document
Messages from Christmas Day 2022 show Crooks appears to have traded “gifts” with an unidentified individual.
asserted
Crooks → show → individual
“Thanks for the gifts,” read one incoming text.
asserted
text → read → gifts
Thanks as well,” Crooks appeared to respond.
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Crooks → appear → ?
It’s unclear why the FBI determined that these communications were “pertinent” to their investigation.
uncertain
communications → ’ → investigation
Reps for the bureau did not respond to a request for comment.
asserted
Reps → respond → comment
The documents further show that the FBI was able to extract images and flight logs from Crooks drone.
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FBI → show → drone
Between February 6, 2024, and February 27, 2024, Crooks snapped aerial photos of PNC Park and Acrisure Stadium, home of the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, respectively, as well as railroad tracks and other locations arounds Western Pennsylvania.
asserted
Crooks → snap → Pennsylvania
Data from a drone flight in Butler from the day of the attempted assassination was also pulled, several hours before Crooks took aim at the 45th president during a campaign rally and opened fire, striking Trump in the ear, wounding two attendees — James Copenhaver and David Dutch — and killing one, Corey Comperatore.
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Crooks → attempt → one
“These latest records reveal more pieces of the puzzle surrounding Thomas Crooks,” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said in a statement.
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Fitton → reveal → statement
“The FBI should stop the slow drip of heavily redacted records and immediately provide the full investigative record — especially since the death last week of James Copenhaver, who was severely injured from being shot during the assassination attempt on President Trump.”
asserted
who → stop → Trump
The Aporia
