As we approach the anniversary of the attempt on President Donald Trump’s life, several questions still hover unanswered. In particular, why did Thomas Matthew Crooks decide to undertake such an attack, and how was he able to come so close to accomplishing it?
A year has gone by, yet the enigma of the 20-year-old from Pennsylvania’s motives remains unresolved. Fox News Digital consulted with two former federal officials to delve into these persisting questions.
Former FBI agent John Nantz said Crooks did not fit the profile of a politically motivated extremist.
“Crooks did not appear to be driven by ideology or to be under any directive to carry out an assassination,” Nantz explained to Fox News Digital. “Instead, he seemed more like an individual struggling with anti-social tendencies, possibly in search of attention.”
The breakdown on July 13 led to bipartisan calls for then-USSS Director Kimberly Cheatle to resign. After her resignation, Ronald Rowe Jr., who was serving as the deputy director, was appointed as the acting director.
He held the position until Jan. 22, when Sean Curran, a veteran agent who had been part of Trump’s protective detail during the assassination attempt, was appointed as the 28th director of the USSS.
“Now, the Secret Service also has new leadership. And this is a big part of the success of the agency. You need leaders that are trusted — and as I said, that are going to make the safety and security of those they protect the priority,” Marino said. “And they have that leadership now. I’m confident in that leadership.”
