Trump shooter Thomas Crooks's disturbing trans 'furry' fantasies revealed
Donald Trump's would-be assassin appears to have used 'they/them' pronouns on a website known for hosting pornographic 'furry' material. Thomas Crooks, who shot Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, at the height of the presidential campaign in 2024, is linked to the accounts 'epicmicrowave' and 'theepicmicrowave' on the website DeviantArt. The website hosts sexually explicit images of 'furries' - human-like animal characters. The accounts linked to Crooks used 'they/them' pronouns used by the transgender community and his activity suggested an interest in cartoon characters with ripped male physiques and female heads. It comes amid renewed scrutiny on Crooks after Tucker Carlson carried out a forensic examination of his online footprint, including his violent statements, as well as his political journey from Trump supporter to rabid leftist. Prior to Tucker's reporting, very little was known about Crooks, to the extent that the FBI was accused of a cover-up, which has fueled various conspiracy theories - including that the shooter may have been backed by a foreign government. Among the most stunning aspects of the latest reporting is that the shooter was in contact with a Norwegian national who is allegedly part of a neo-Nazi terrorist organization. The FBI's official narrative is that Crooks acted alone in the assassination attempt, with no evidence of co-conspirators or foreign direction. Sign up to our Editor's Picks newsletter
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DeviantArt links and trans/furry content details
Crooks is linked to DeviantArt accounts 'epicmicrowave' and 'theepicmicrowave'. The site hosts sexually explicit images of 'furries' - human-like animal characters. The accounts used 'they/them' pronouns, terms used by the transgender community, and their activity suggested an interest in cartoon characters with ripped male physiques and female heads.
Carlson's deep-dive into Crooks's online footprint
The deep-dive from the former Fox News host stemmed from a tip he received from an anonymous source, who he said gained access to Crooks's wiped social media accounts. The agency said it found no clear motive but confirmed he planned the attack and had extremist views explored through his online activity. Carlson's investigative team last week released a 34-minute video that uncovered YouTube comments allegedly posted by Crooks from 2019 to 2020. During the final phase in 2020 of Crooks's YouTube commenting, the shooter began interacting with a suspicious user 'Willy_Tepes' who appeared to encourage Crooks to commit political violence. He wrote to Crooks on August 4, 2020, 'If a gun and a badge is all that is needed, then authority obviously comes from the barrel of a gun. We have more guns than they do ;).' 'There is no way we can avoid a war at this point, so you just better get used to the idea,' he added. Carlson claims that Tepes's name is listed on a foreign Antifa website connecting him to the Nordic Resistance Movement - a neo-Nazi group based in Scandinavia which has been designated a terrorist organization by the State Department. 'The FBI hasn't made any mention of him in public, although they certainly know he exists. Just days after the shooting, somebody screenshotted Tepes's YouTube account page despite the fact that he has very few followers,' Carlson said. 'To the extent that he can be traced online now, you can find his username being used on a foreign Antifa website, those sites link him to the Nordic Resistance Movement ... that's all we know.'
Norwegian connection and the Nordic Resistance Movement
Among the most stunning aspects of the latest reporting is that the shooter was in contact with a Norwegian national who is allegedly part of a neo-Nazi terrorist organization. The Nordic Resistance Movement, a neo-Nazi group based in Scandinavia, has been designated a terrorist organization by the State Department. Carlson described the online trail, noting Tepes's purported presence on foreign sites and links to far-right networks.
FBI's narrative of Crooks acting alone
The FBI's official narrative is that Crooks acted alone in the assassination attempt, with no evidence of co-conspirators or foreign direction. Trump raises his fist after Crooks's assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania rally in 2024
Reactions and official responses
MAGA influencers and lawmakers reacted with shock to Carlson's latest reporting and demanded more transparency from the FBI. 'They programmed this kid. You got a kid who's got access to guns or has some simple knowledge of a firearm, he was programmed,' Burchett told conservative influencer Benny Johnson. 'The facts have been buried or burned or whoever knew is either sitting on a beach somewhere and, uh, enjoying a fruity drink or they're dead.' 'When the CIA says, "We don't have this thing," and then their asses are brought into a court of law and they say, "Well, we have it, but we don't use it anymore." Apparently, somebody's using it.' 'I've said that all along,' Burchett added. 'I've said that. Look at the history. Look at where we're at in this country, the Deep State. It's disgusting. Trump's right. They're not after, they're not after him. They're after us. He's just standing in the way.' Kash Patel issued a statement indirectly responding to Carlson's reporting by claiming the Bureau collected an extensive amount of data from Crooks. 'The investigation, conducted by over 480 FBI employees, revealed Crooks had limited online and in-person interactions, planned and conducted the attack alone, and did not leak or share his intent to engage in the attack with anyone,' Patel wrote.
