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Justice Department Sued For Hidden Documents On Pennsylvania Trump Shooter

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Americans may know more about the man who attempted to assassinate President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, after a legal watchdog filed a federal lawsuit for documents being concealed by the Justice Department.

The non-profit public interest law firm Judicial Watch announced in a statement it “filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice for all records regarding Thomas Matthew Crooks, who attempted to assassinate President Trump on July 13, 2024.”

“No more delays and excuses, the FBI should release what it has on the man who tried to kill President Trump a full year ago in Butler. Attorney General Pam Bondi should direct a full and immediate records response to this Judicial Watch FOIA lawsuit,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.

Judicial Watch notes it sued after the FBI “failed to respond to a July 24, 2024, FOIA request for:”

All records, including but not limited to, investigative reports, interview summaries (Forms 1023), letterhead memoranda, photos, audio/visual recordings, database inquiries, interagency communications, and any other records, whether contained in the Central Records System or cross-referenced files, related to Thomas Matthew Crooks, born September 20, 2003 in Butler Township, PA and died on July 13, 2024, who attempted the assassination of former President Donald Trump on July 13, 2024.

All records of communication in any form, including but not limited to emails, text messages, encrypted app communications and voice recordings, between FBI officials and/or FBI sources, contractors, and assets on the one hand, and Thomas Matthew Crooks on the other hand.

“On July 13, 2024, then-Republican presidential candidate Trump survived an assassination attempt while speaking at an open-air campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump was shot and wounded in his upper right ear by 20-year-old Crooks, who fired eight rounds from his perch on top of a nearby building,” Judicial Watch explained, adding, “Crooks also killed one audience member, firefighter Corey Comperatore, and critically injured two others. Crooks was shot and killed by the counter sniper team of the United States Secret Service.”

Judicial Watch has been pursuing the information for nearly a year, noting:

In March 2025, Judicial Watch sued the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for records related to security provided for the July 13, 2024, rally in Butler, PA, during which there was an assassination attempt on President Trump (Judicial Watch Inc. v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security (No. 1:25-cv-00704)).

In September 2004, Judicial Watch sued the Department of Homeland Security for Secret Service and other records regarding potential increased protective services to former President Trump’s security detail prior to the attempt on his life at his July 13 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania (Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security (No. 1:24-cv-02495)).

 In August 2024, Judicial Watch obtained records from the district attorney’s office in Butler County, PA, detailing the extensive preparation of local police for the rally at which former President Trump was shot. The preparation included sniper teams, counter assault teams and a quick response force. On August 9, in response to a separate open records request, Judicial Watch obtained bodycam footage of the July 13 assassination events from the Butler Township Police Department.

Hidden FBI Files On Trump-Russia Probe Discovered In Secret Room, Patel Says

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I, Aude, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Thousands of documents turned over to…

WASHINGTON — FBI Director Kash Patel has reportedly uncovered a cache of sensitive documents tied to the origins of the now-discredited Trump–Russia investigation, according to sources with direct knowledge of the discovery.

The documents were allegedly found inside a concealed room at FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C., stored in multiple “burn bags” — containers typically used for the destruction of classified materials. The material is now under active review, with portions slated for declassification and eventual release to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA). (RELATED: Trump Issues Ultimatum To GOP Leader — Abolish This Rule Or Else)

Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Among the most consequential items is a classified annex to former Special Counsel John Durham’s final report — a document that had previously been withheld from public and congressional view. Sources say the annex contains the raw intelligence Durham reviewed and includes information gathered before the FBI formally launched its “Crossfire Hurricane” probe into alleged ties between Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia.

The annex reportedly outlines internal warnings about efforts within the federal government to elevate unsubstantiated claims of collusion — with some of the intelligence suggesting the narrative was intended to politically benefit the Clinton campaign.

Per Fox News Digital:

A source familiar with the contents of the classified annex told Fox News Digital that while it may not have been exactly clear in the moment what the intelligence collection meant, with the benefit of hindsight, it predicted the FBI’s next move “with alarming specificity.”

“Ultimately, the release of the classified annex will lend more credibility to the assertion that there was a coordinated plan inside the U.S. government to help the Clinton campaign stir up controversy connecting Trump to Russia,” the source, who was granted anonymity to discuss sensitive intelligence matters that have not yet been made public, told Fox News Digital.

Not Stated, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

“Mere days after this intelligence was collected, the FBI launched Crossfire Hurricane,” the source said. “It’s really hard to see how Brennan, Clapper and Comey are going to be able to explain this away.”

Sources told Fox News Digital that Patel and his team discovered a previously undisclosed sensitive compartmented information facility (SCIF) in the FBI headquarters.

Patel, who previously served as a top national security official during Trump’s presidency, is now overseeing the review of the trove, which reportedly consists of thousands of pages and digital records. Some of the documents are believed to directly relate to early surveillance activities and internal deliberations within the FBI in 2016. (RELATED: [WATCH] FBI’s Latest Target Isn’t Who You’d Expect…)

The declassification process is being coordinated with top national security officials, including CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and NSA Director Gen. William Hartman.

Former FBI Directors James Comey and Christopher Wray have yet to respond to request for comment as of this article’s publication.

Grassley Expected to Lead Congressional Oversight

U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Grassley, who has long pressed for transparency surrounding the Durham probe, is expected to spearhead efforts to bring the annex and related documents before Congress.

The development has reignited conservative concerns about politicization within federal agencies and the weaponization of national security tools for partisan purposes.

As the annex moves toward declassification, key questions remain: How did this material remain hidden for so long? Who knew of its existence? And what political or legal consequences could follow its release?

Report: Pro-Trump Conservative Charlie Kirk Shot

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Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Popular conservative activist Charlie Kirk was reportedly shot at an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah on Wednesday.

Bystanders report seeing Kirk shot near his neck during a Q&A with students.

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

Musk Trolls Trump Over Epstein Case As Feud Escalates

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UK Government, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Détente is over…

Elon Musk reignited his very public, and very messy, feud with President Donald Trump, announcing plans to launch a third major political party just hours after Trump signed the $3.3 trillion One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law.

But Musk didn’t stop there.

By early Monday, the billionaire tech mogul was back to openly mocking the president following new reporting on the Department of Justice’s investigation into Jeffrey Epstein’s death.

On X, the platform he owns, Musk posted a meme titled “The Official Jeffrey Epstein Pedophile Arrest Counter.” The image read “0,” with Musk captioning it:

“What’s the time? Oh look, it’s no-one-has-been-arrested-o’clock again …”

The DOJ and FBI concluded their joint probe into the disgraced financier’s 2019 death, reaffirming the official narrative that the child sex offender died by suicide and that there’s no evidence of a blackmail scheme or a so-called “client list.” The two-page memo, first reported by Axios late Sunday, noted that no further arrests are expected.

According to the memo, surveillance footage revealed no unauthorized access to Epstein’s cell, aligning with the medical examiner’s determination of suicide. The administration is also releasing footage showing no movement in Epstein’s section of the jail the night of his death.

But millions remain skeptical.

Dr. Michael Baden — a former New York City chief medical examiner hired by Epstein’s brother — disputes the ruling. Baden said several fractures in Epstein’s neck, including to the hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage, were “extremely unusual” in suicide cases and more consistent with homicide. He also said he had never seen injuries like Epstein’s in his 50 years of investigating prison deaths.

Despite that, the DOJ insists the matter is closed.

Musk himself added to the speculation last month, claiming in a now-deleted tweet that Trump was implicated in the Epstein files.

“[Trump] is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public,” Musk wrote.

He followed with: “Mark this post for the future. The truth will come out.”

Trump has vigorously denied any involvement with Epstein’s nefarious activities, insisting, “I was never on Epstein’s Plane, or at his ‘stupid’ Island.”

Responding to Musk’s Epstein files claim, the president reposted a statement from Epstein’s former lawyer David Schoen, who insisted Epstein had “no information to hurt President Trump.”

While Trump’s name does appear in Epstein’s flight logs, no documented evidence of impropriety has emerged. Trump has acknowledged a past friendship with Epstein, which he says ended in the mid-2000s.

Unlike last month’s spat, Trump hit back immediately at his former ally.

In a post Sunday, the president called Musk’s behavior “off the rails,” accusing him of becoming a “TRAIN WRECK over the past five weeks.” He slammed third parties as agents of “Complete and Total DISRUPTION & CHAOS” and said the U.S. system isn’t built to accommodate them.

“We have enough of that with the Radical Left Democrats, who have lost their confidence and their minds!” Trump wrote.

Trump turned up the heat over the weekend, threatening to revoke Musk’s government contracts — a bold strike at the heart of his rival’s wallet.

So far, Ghislaine Maxwell remains the only person convicted in connection with Epstein’s sex trafficking operation. She is currently serving a 20-year sentence.

Pam Bondi Fires Jeffrey Epstein Prosecutor

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On Wednesday, Attorney General Pam Bondi fired Maurene Comey, a prosecutor with the Southern District of New York who had prosecuted deceased financier and child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

Comey, a senior trial counsel, is the daughter of former FBI Director James Comey, whom Trump fired in 2017.

“The reason for her firing was not immediately clear. She did not immediately respond to phone calls and an email seeking comment,” Politico said. “Comey, who had worked in the U.S. attorney’s office for nearly a decade, prosecuted both Jeffrey Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell.”

Maurene Comey worked at the SDNY for almost a decade.

Maurene Comey’s termination at the DOJ comes amid an investigation into her father, who posted an image of seashells on a beach arranged to say  “86 47.” Though “86” is restaurant industry lingo for refusing service to a patron or kicking them out of an establishment, many conservatives insisted Comey was calling for the president’s death. Last week, The New York Times reported that the Secret Service had tracked the former FBI director after the incident.

The Justice Department last week released a memo concluding there was no evidence suggesting the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender kept a “client list” to blackmail high-profile individuals. The memo also found no evidence to suggest foul play in Epstein’s death, which had previously been ruled a suicide.

The memo spurred fierce backlash from many Trump supporters, who had long called on the government to release material on Epstein that they argue would expose wrongdoing at the highest level of elite circles.

Trump has brushed aside calls to reveal more information about the Epstein case and has shown increasing frustration when asked about it over the past week.

“You mentioned past supporters when you were talking about the Epstein issue. Does that mean that you’re effectively disowning any supporters who are now calling—” a reporter asked Trump in the Oval Office on Tuesday.

Trump cut off the question and added, “I’ve lost a lot of faith in certain people, yeah, I’ve lost. Because they got duped by the Democrats.”

In a lengthy social media post, which included references to the president’s previous claims about the 2017 Russian election interference probe, Trump blamed Democrats for creating what he called a “scam” and “hoax.”

“Scams and Hoaxes are all the Democrats are good at – It’s all they have – They are no good at governing, no good at policy, and no good at picking winning candidates,” Trump said. He added, “Their new SCAM is what we will forever call the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax, and my PAST supporters have bought into this ‘bullshit,’ hook, line, and sinker. They haven’t learned their lesson, and probably never will, even after being conned by the Lunatic Left for 8 long years.”

Man Drives Tesla Into Crowded Protest

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Tesla

A protest at a Tesla location in Florida was disrupted Saturday when a man drove into the crowd.

A suspect was arrested at the scene and there were no injuries, according to police.

Law enforcement tells the AP that the suspect, Andrew Dutil, allegedly drove his Nissan Pathfinder at a slow speed onto the sidewalk and directly into the group of demonstrators before coming to a stop and exiting the vehicle.

Reports indicate Dutil claimed to be an employee of the Tesla showroom where the protests were taking place.

The Palm Beach post reports:

“He drove into a crowd of senior citizens,” said Mark Offerman of the Democratic Progressive Caucus Palm Beach County about the driver. “Everybody was able to move out, but two older women were really almost clipped. We immediately called the cops.”

The AP adds that “Dutil was arrested and faces an assault charge, according to court records.”

At least one individual associated with the group “Tesla Takedown” posted on social media about the incident.

In response to CEO Elon Musk supporting President Donald Trump during the election and slashing budgets and personnel through DOGE over the last several weeks, protests and acts of vandalism and violence have broken out both at Tesla locations and against individual vehicle owners across the country.

Attorney General Pam Bondi has labeled the incidents domestic terrorism.

Report: Bannon Told Epstein Trump Should Be Removed Via 25th Amendment

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Thor Brødreskift / Nordiske Mediedager, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Newly released Epstein files include private messages from 2018 between Steve Bannon and Jeffrey Epstein, revealing previously undisclosed political discussions involving President Donald Trump.

According to reporting based on the documents, Bannon described Trump in late 2018 as “beyond borderline” and referenced the 25th Amendment, the constitutional mechanism for removing a president who is unable to perform the duties of the office.

The remarks were made in private correspondence and were not public at the time. (RELATED: Report: Only Roughly 2% Of Epstein Files Public As DOJ Says ‘All’ Released)

As Mediaite’s Isaac Shorr reports:

Bannon has come under fire from a wide variety of critics — including conservatives — in recent days over his his relationship with Epstein.

Documents released by the Department of Justice revealed that on the very day Epstein was arrested on charges of sex trafficking in July 2019, he was texting with Bannon about the aforementioned documentary.

A few months before that, Bannon advised Epstein: “First we need to push back on the lies ; then crush the pedo/trafficking narrative ; then rebuild your image as a philanthropist.”

Another text exchange between the two men, dated Dec. 31, 2018, is under intense scrutiny.

The conversation reads:

EPSTEIN: Hell of. Year. Next will be biblicl

BANNON: We either own 2019 or it will surely own us

EPSTEIN: Im back in the f and b biz only

BANNON: F and B director

EPSTEIN: No it does not stand for fck and blw

EPSTEIN: Spoke to my dems. This weekend. Boy are emotions running high

BANNON: Going to blow him up right our of the box– WH has zero plan to punch back– Fort Apache with no cavalry enroute

EPSTEIN: And no soldiers in the fort. He really is borderline. Not sure what he may do.

BANNON: I think it’s beyond borderline — 25 amendment

The records show the two men exchanged hundreds of messages about media coverage, legal matters, and political strategy. Some messages indicate Epstein offered advice on messaging and reputation management. (RELATED: New Documents Show Bannon Reached Out To Epstein During Vatican Fight)

The communications also reference handling critical coverage following the Miami Herald’s 2018 investigative series on Epstein, which is widely credited with prompting renewed federal scrutiny and Epstein’s eventual 2019 arrest.

The documents do not allege criminal conduct related to the exchanges.

Republican Congressman Calls For Swift Investigation Following Disturbing Office Discovery

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Rep. Dave Taylor (R-Ohio) is calling for a full investigation after a disturbing image surfaced showing what appeared to be an altered American flag — twisted into a swastika — displayed behind one of his staffers during a virtual meeting.

The image, first reported by Politico and amplified on social media by an Ohio blogger, quickly drew outrage. But Taylor’s office says it may not be what it appears.

“I am aware of an image that appears to depict a vile and deeply inappropriate symbol near an employee in my office,” Taylor said in a statement. “The content of that image does not reflect the values or standards of this office, my staff, or myself, and I condemn it in the strongest terms.”

Taylor emphasized that he acted immediately, directing Capitol Police to investigate what he described as a potentially malicious act.

“Upon learning of this matter, I immediately directed a thorough investigation alongside Capitol Police, which remains ongoing,” the statement continued.

A spokesperson for the congressman suggested the image might have been the result of “foul play or vandalism,” not any endorsement of the offensive imagery by his staff. The photo appeared to show Angelo “AJ” Elia, a legislative correspondent who joined Taylor’s office in January, sitting at his cubicle with the doctored flag visible behind him.

Elia — who recently earned a master’s degree in legislative affairs from George Washington University — has not commented publicly. Taylor’s office has not said whether any personnel actions have been taken while the investigation proceeds.

The controversy comes amid renewed scrutiny of conservative youth organizations after Politico reported on leaked Telegram messages allegedly showing racist and anti-Semitic comments from some Young Republican leaders. The timing of the leak, combined with the sudden surfacing of the photo from Taylor’s office, has raised questions among some Republicans about whether politically motivated actors are attempting to smear conservatives ahead of the 2024 election cycle.

The image was first posted on X (formerly Twitter) by Ohio blogger DJ Byrnes, who claimed a friend had a Zoom meeting with Taylor’s office and noticed the symbol. “A friend in DC had a Zoom call with Congressman Dave Taylor’s office today … Taylor’s legislative correspondent, Angelo Elia, had what can only be described as an American swastika flag prominently displayed in his background,” Byrnes wrote Wednesday.

Authorities Apprehend Suspect In Trump Campaign Office Burglary

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Arrest image via Pixabay

A suspect accused of breaking into a Donald Trump campaign office outside of Washington, D.C. has been arrested, according to reports.

Toby Shane Kessler, 39, was detained on Saturday by the University of California, San Francisco Police Department for squatting in a campus dorm, the Loudoun County sheriff’s office said in a release on Thursday. 

Kessler was allegedly behind the break-in at a Trump campaign office in Ashburn, Va., in August. He broke in through the back door of the office and spent a “brief” period of time there before exiting, according to the Loudoun County sheriff’s office. 

The office is also used as the Virginia 10th District Republican Committee’s headquarters.

The sheriff’s office said that Kessler faces burglary charges, though law enforcement did not say if he took anything from the office. 

“It is rare to have the office of any political campaign or party broken into,” Sheriff Mike Chapman said at the time the incident took place. “We are determined to identify the suspect, investigate why it happened, and determine what may have been taken as well as what may have been left behind.”

In mid-August, the Loudoun County sheriff’s office said Kessler has a “history of criminal behavior and appears to have been in the Washington metropolitan area at least since 2018.” 

Trump has not commented on the arrest.

Trump’s Teenage Granddaughter Granted Restraining Order Against 26-Year-Old Creep

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Arrest image via Pixabay

President Donald Trump’s oldest granddaughter, Kai Trump, has won court-ordered protection from a man she described as a threat after a judge extended a restraining order against him, according to a report from TMZ.

The 19-year-old daughter of Donald Trump Jr. and Vanessa Trump petitioned a Palm Beach County court for protection from 26-year-old Gabriel Garza Jr., whom she described in court filings as “homeless” and living “in a car in area of Jupiter/Palm Beach County,” according to documents obtained by TMZ.

A judge initially issued a temporary restraining order in April, restricting Garza from stalking, cyberstalking, or committing “any criminal offense resulting in physical injury or death.” Following a later hearing, the order was extended and will remain in effect through May 2027.

Under the terms of the order, Garza is prohibited from coming within 500 feet of Kai’s residence and workplace. He is also barred from attending events she attends and must surrender any firearms in his possession.

The restrictions will reportedly extend to the next chapter of Kai’s life as well.

The teenager announced earlier this month that she plans to attend the University of Miami in the fall, and TMZ reported the protective order would apply there too.

Court proceedings were briefly delayed after Kai requested a scheduling change due to a major milestone in her personal life.

“My last day of high school. I can’t leave until 3:00 pm. Please reschedule for the following Thursday,” she wrote in a request cited by TMZ.

The situation marks the second frightening encounter involving an alleged stalker in recent years.

Last year, a then-23-year-old man identified as Anthony Reyes was arrested after allegedly scaling a wall at President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.

According to an arrest report previously obtained by NBC News, Reyes allegedly told authorities he wanted to “spread the gospel” to Trump and “marry Kai.”

“Shortly after midnight, the individual scaled a perimeter fence and triggered alarms. U.S. Secret Service personnel detained him without incident at the scene,” a Secret Service spokesperson said at the time.

Palm Beach police later took Reyes into custody on trespassing charges. He was ultimately ordered not to contact Trump or members of his family.

Kai Trump has increasingly stepped into the public eye over the last several years. An avid golfer who shares her grandfather’s enthusiasm for the sport, she has built a large social media following and became a familiar face during the 2024 presidential campaign. In 2025, Trump made her LPGA debut at The Annika on a sponsor invitation.

She also made her political debut at the Republican National Convention, where she offered a more personal portrait of her grandfather.

“To me, he’s just a normal grandpa,” Kai told attendees.

Kai was likely in the Bahamas over the weekend for her father’s wedding to Bettina Anderson… an event that Grandpa Trump missed to focus on government issues, specifically the conflict in Iran.

Despite her growing public profile, the recent court order underscores one of the risks that can accompany life in the spotlight.