# Trump Calls Assassination Attempt a 'Democrat Plot,' Offers No Evidence

- URL: https://twotakes.us/stories/trump-calls-assassination-attempt-a-democrat-plot-offers-no-evidence
- Published: 2026-09-17T07:13:58.440839+00:00
- Topics: trump-assassination-attempt, fbi, political-violence, conspiracy-theories, butler-shooting

## What the left says
- Trump's own FBI Director Kash Patel testified under oath that investigators found no evidence Crooks communicated with anyone besides his parents, directly undercutting the 'plot' narrative Trump is now pushing.
- The claim conflicts with the conclusion Trump's own administration's FBI reached in November 2025 after a full investigation, that the shooter acted alone with no identifiable ideological motive.
- Trump has offered no documentation, witnesses, or specifics to support the assertion that Biden or Wray orchestrated or mishandled the case as part of a political conspiracy, raising concern about accusing named individuals of a serious crime without proof.
- Targeting a former FBI director with claims he 'should pay a price' for testimony he gave under oath raises alarm about using presidential power to punish perceived political enemies rather than pursuing verified facts.

## What the right says
- New records uncovered by Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley reveal previously unknown details, including that Crooks used an alias to stockpile ammunition and gun parts and that his father tried to stop him from accessing firearms months before the shooting.
- Republican lawmakers, including Rep. Mike Kelly, say the Biden-era FBI stonewalled the bipartisan House task force investigating the shooting and withheld access to information at the time.
- Lingering unanswered questions, such as why Crooks' body was cremated only ten days after the shooting and who funded it, feed legitimate public skepticism that the full truth about the attack has been disclosed.
- Trump and his allies argue the emergence of new evidence years later, under a different administration, justifies scrutiny of how the original investigation was handled and by whom.

## Common ground
- The July 2024 shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania wounded Trump, killed rally attendee Corey Comperatore, and injured two others.
- New documents and details about shooter Thomas Crooks have surfaced well after the original investigation concluded, prompting renewed attention from lawmakers.
- Both sides agree the original task force report, issued in December 2024, was limited by minimal cooperation from federal agencies at the time.
- Political violence, including this assassination attempt, has been condemned across the political spectrum.

## Sources
- [ABC News](https://abcnews.com/Politics/trump-claims-butler-assassination-attempt-democrat-plot-showing/story?id=136468084) (Lean Left)
- [AllSides](https://www.allsides.com/news/2026-09-16-0700/donald-trump-trump-without-evidence-claims-2024-assassination-try-was-political-plot) (Center)
- [HuffPost](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-claims-assassination-attempt-democrat-plot_n_6aa97484e4b0477c43bf85cd) (Left)
- [Just The News](https://justthenews.com/government/security/you-vote-new-revelations-about-butler-pa-assassination-attempt-what-do-you?utm_source=justthenews.com&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=external-news-aggregators) (Right)
- [Just The News](https://justthenews.com/accountability/republican-lawmakers-surprised-new-revelations-about-butler-assassination-attempt?utm_source=justthenews.com&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=external-news-aggregators) (Right)
- [RedState](https://redstate.com/bobhoge/2026/09/16/what-is-going-on-lawmakers-accuse-feds-of-stonewalling-in-butler-assassination-attempt-probes-n2207013) (Unknown)

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