Matthew Crooks told the FBI in an interview two days after the assassination attempt that an anonymous donor paid for the cremation of Thomas Crooks.

What we found

Supports. The NY Post, as reported by Raw Story, CBS Austin, Daily Wire, The Express and others, says a note at the end of a summary of an FBI interview with Matthew Crooks reads 'Anonymous donor paid for cremation.'[1][2][3][4][5]

Supports. Coverage notes the records do not identify the donor, and that the information appears to have come from a lawyer for the family, which matters for how the claim's attribution to Matthew himself should be read.[6][7][8]

Context. The cremation was reported in 2024 by Rep. Clay Higgins, who objected that the FBI released the body less than two weeks after the shooting; the 2026 documents add the donor note.[1][6]

Context. No source states the interview took place two days after the shooting, and none contradicts that timing.[1][2]

Sources

8 sources: 3 tier 3, 4 not rated, 1 rated low

1. 1Mystery swirls after buried cremation details of Trump's would-be assassin emergerawstory.com · tier 3 · cited for: supports, context
2. 2Exclusive | Cremation of would-be Trump assassin Thomas Matthew …nypost.com · tier 3 · cited for: supports, context
3. 3Who Paid To Cremate Wannabe Trump Assassin? FBI Files Reveal ...dailywire.com · tier 3 · cited for: supports
4. 4Anonymous donor paid for the body of Trump's would-be assassin to ...cbsaustin.com · not rated · cited for: supports
5. 5Trump rages at 'crooked' Biden FBI amid new details on would-be ...the-express.com · not rated · cited for: supports
6. 6Govt Records: Butler Gunman Used 'Bob Dole' Alias for ...yahoo.com · not rated · cited for: supports, context
7. 7Who paid for Trump shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks' cremation? Federal records reveal an 'anonymous donor' covered the costmoneycontrol.com · not rated · cited for: supports
8. 8Trump Shooter Thomas Crooks's Cremation Funded By 'Anonymous Donor', New FBI Files Revealnews18.com · rated low for factual reporting by Iffy.news · cited for: supports

Where this claim was made

Said in 1 published post

• VINCE · Sep 16, 2026“His dad, Matthew Crooks, told the FBI in an interview two days after his son shot former President Trump in the ear... A note at the end of the of an interview with the gunman's father said, quote, "Anonymous donor paid for cremation."”Post →

Related claims

• Thomas Crooks used the pseudonym Bob Dole for online shopping.True
• Thomas Crooks ordered parts, tools, and items to increase the capacity of his rifle under the name Bob Dole.True
• Donald Trump's FBI failed to take appropriate action regarding the individual who shot at him in Butler, Pennsylvania.Can’t tell