Logo

Would-be Donald Trump assassin Thomas Crooks was talking to imaginary people, dancing alone in his room, and even researched the distance involved in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy before the shooting that shocked the world last July.

The 20-year-old’s spiraling mental state in the months before he tried to kill Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pa., was laid bare in a lengthy New York Times report that reviewed police interviews, his internet searches and even school records.

After the assassination attempt, Crooks’ father had told the feds that he’d noticed his son’s mental health started to decline roughly a year before the assassination attempt.


  Thomas Matthew Crooks at his high school commencement. Obtained by NY Post Thomas Matthew Crooks at his high school commencement. Obtained by NY Post

  Trump is surrounded by Secret Service agents after an assassination attempt in July 2024. AP Trump is surrounded by Secret Service agents after an assassination attempt in July 2024. AP

The dad, who noted a family history of mental issues, recalled seeing Crooks talking to himself and dancing in his bedroom at night.

Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.) — who was among those working on the congressional task force on the shooting — told the outlet that Crooks was “having conversations with someone that wasn’t there” in the lead up.

“There was a mysteriousness to Thomas Crooks’ descent into madness,” he said, adding he learned the worrisome details while investigating the ordeal.

Just one week out from the shooting, Crooks made specific internet searches — including the looking up the distance of JFK’s 1963 assassination.


  Thomas Matthews Crooks attempted to assassinate President Trump. Obtained by NY Post Thomas Matthews Crooks attempted to assassinate President Trump. Obtained by NY Post

  Thomas Matthew Crooks walking through a crowd at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania just hours before the assassination attempt. Iron-Clad-USA.com via Storyful Thomas Matthew Crooks walking through a crowd at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania just hours before the assassination attempt. Iron-Clad-USA.com via Storyful

“How far was Oswald from Kennedy?” Crooks searched, according to the outlet.

The searches were made before he perched himself on an unsecured rooftop at Trump’s rally on July 13 and then opened fire.

Crooks ended up being shot dead by a Secret Service counter-sniper just moments after he managed to clip Trump in the ear with one of his bullets and killed a bystander.

His body was later discovered covered in his own blood when cops and agents swarmed the rooftop.


  A person is removed by state police from the stands after the shooting at the rally. AFP via Getty Images A person is removed by state police from the stands after the shooting at the rally. AFP via Getty Images

As investigators tried to piece together a motive for the planned attack, Crooks’ political views remain elusive. His dad told them he’d go “back and forth and kind of argue both sides” of politics.

He added that Crooks would speak about both Trump and former President Joe Biden but he “never really indicated that he liked one or the other more.”

Records show that he donated $15 to a committee backing Democrats on Biden’s inauguration day in 2021.

He registered as a Republican, though, as soon as he turned 19 that fall, according to the records.

In the lead up to the shooting, Crooks appeared to zero in specifically on Trump – increasing his searches of his administration’s archives.

He also stepped up his research of weapons, search logs show.  

Comments
anonymous profile image
Powered by RoundtableBuilt on infrastructure designed for real-time media. Learn more at RTB.io.© Roundtable 2026. By using this site you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy