President Donald Trump has publicly criticized FBI Director Christopher Wray, stating that Wray should "pay a price" for the FBI's handling of the investigation into the assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024. Trump was wounded in the attack, which also resulted in two injuries and one fatality before the shooter, Thomas Crooks, was killed by Secret Service agents.
Trump's remarks followed reporting from the New York Post detailing documents shared with Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) as part of his inquiry. These documents, including FBI interviews with Crooks' father, reportedly suggest Crooks had an obsession with guns and purchased firearm parts online using a pseudonym.
FBI Director Kash Patel testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee, asserting that the FBI has released all documents related to the investigation that it is "lawfully able to release." Patel added that the investigation found no evidence that Crooks was communicating with anyone other than his parents.
This is not the first time Trump has publicly targeted Wray. Last September, Trump called for a criminal investigation into Wray over alleged false claims regarding FBI agents' involvement in the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.