Dive Deeper:

• Thomas Matthew Crooks’ assassination attempt on former President Trump was likely driven by a desire for attention and fame rather than political motives.

• Expert Jytte Klausen suggests that Crooks was acting out a fantasy of becoming a significant figure through the attack.

• Crooks’ search history and behavior indicate a quest for notoriety rather than a political agenda.

• The lack of a manifesto and organized elements in Crooks’ actions align more with patterns seen in school shooters than politically-motivated terrorists.

• Crooks displayed rational planning for the attack but irrational thinking about the consequences, possibly expecting to survive and continue similar acts.

• His interest in developing bombs hints at a desire to carry out further attacks while evading death.

• Factors in Crooks’ home life, such as his parents’ alleged unawareness of explosive components, raise concerns about his upbringing and environment.