Following the assassination attempt on Donald Trump, conspiracy theorists have been circulating claims that an FBI agent was present in the crowd behind him during the incident. On June 13, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks fired shots at Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania, grazing his ear and fatally shooting Corey Comperatore, who was seated behind Trump. Two others were also injured before Crooks was killed by an FBI sniper.
Some conspiracy theorists have identified a woman seen in footage of the event as former FBI agent Janeen DiGuiseppi, suggesting she was involved in the assassination attempt. These claims have been widely shared on social media, with many users believing the false reports.
She knew ?? pic.twitter.com/MCa1OkS0xj
— Concerned Citizen (@BGatesIsaPyscho) July 19, 2024
The FBI has categorically denied these allegations, stating that the woman in question was not DiGuiseppi and that she did not attend the rally. The agency emphasized that the false rumors are harmful and pose a danger to their agents and their families. The FBI remains committed to holding accountable those who make violent threats against law enforcement personnel.
Fact-checking website Snopes also investigated the claims and confirmed they were false. Despite similarities in age and hair color, the unidentified woman does not match DiGuiseppi’s facial features and had no reason to attend the rally. DiGuiseppi, an Air Force veteran who joined the FBI in 1999, currently works as the assistant director of the bureau’s Insider Threat Office in Washington, D.C., and has never worked in Pennsylvania.
These baseless conspiracy theories highlight the challenges faced by law enforcement agencies in combating misinformation and protecting their personnel from unwarranted threats and accusations.
