The FBI Deputy Director, Paul Abbate, revealed on Tuesday that federal investigators do not have complete access to the emails sent by Thomas Matthew Crooks, the shooter of former President Trump. Abbate mentioned that some of the applications Crooks used were encrypted, making it difficult for the FBI to retrieve all the information.
During a Senate Homeland Security Committee and Judiciary Committee hearing, Sen. Lindsey Graham questioned Abbate about the access to Crooks’ electronics, highlighting the importance of potentially revealing relevant information. Abbate confirmed that there were encrypted apps on Crooks’ phone that the FBI could not access.
Despite the FBI previously stating they had successfully gained access to Crooks’ phone, challenges with encryption, including foreign-based encrypted email accounts, have hindered the investigation. While there is no indication of foreign involvement in Crooks’ plot, delays in accessing these accounts have slowed down the process.
The joint hearing with top officials from the U.S. Secret Service and FBI marks the third congressional proceeding in just over a week focused on the shooting at Trump’s rally. The fallout from the July 13 attack led to the resignation of former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, with Ronald Rowe Jr. appointed as the acting director.
As the investigation continues, the FBI is working to overcome encryption challenges to gather all necessary information related to the assassination attempt on former President Trump. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.
