Trump to Sit for Voluntary Interview With FBI in Assassination Investigation

Former President Donald Trump leaves after speaking during the first rally since the assassination attempt and officially accepting the presidential nomination, in Grand Rapids, Mich., on July 20, 2024. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

Former President Donald Trump will sit for a voluntary interview with the FBI regarding the probe into the assassination attempt against him at a campaign rally earlier this month, according to a special agent.

“We want to get his perspective on what he observed,” Kevin Rojek, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Pittsburgh field office, said in a call with reporters on July 29.

While the agency said it hasn’t yet determined the motive of the would-be Trump assassin, his actions showed extensive planning ahead of the July 13 rally, Mr. Rojek told reporters.

Mr. Rojek said interviews with victims are common practice during investigations.

Several new details were revealed during the call, including that the 20-year-old suspect, Thomas Matthew Crooks, had made “significant efforts” to conceal his actions, according to CNN.

Mr. Robek said that Mr. Crooks had conducted extensive online research, which showed that he had an interest in mass shootings, power plants, improvised explosive devices, and the attempted assassination of Slovakia’s prime minister earlier this year.

The suspect was a reclusive individual primarily connected to his family, Mr. Rojek said. His parents have cooperated fully with the investigation and have maintained that they were unaware of his plans.

Mr. Rojek revealed on the call that Mr. Crooks used aliases and foreign-based encrypted email accounts to evade detection during the purchase of firearms and chemical precursors for explosive devices, according to CNN.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.