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| - FACT CHECK: Viral X Post Falsely Claims Assistant FBI Director Attended Trump Rally In Butler, PA
A viral video shared on X purports Janeen DiGuiseppe, assistant director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Insider Threat Office, was seated behind 2024 Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump when a shooting occurred at his July 13 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Yes. Apparently, SHE KNEW IT!
The woman in the video behind Trump, who calmly recorded the shots fired, is allegedly Janeen Diguiseppi, assistant Director of FBI.
So… was assassination attempt on Trump was State Sponsored?
Now…Recollect Modi Ji’s security lapse in Punjab. https://t.co/OUFk42ckKN
— BhikuMhatre (@MumbaichaDon) July 19, 2024
Verdict: False
The FBI denied that DiGuiseppe attended the rally to Albany-based newspaper the Times Union. Snopes also reported the video did not show DiGuiseppe on July 19. An FBI spokesperson shared the same statement it had provided to the Times Union with Check Your Fact when contacted for comment.
Fact Check:
Thomas Matthew Crooks, the shooter who opened fire on Trump’s July 13 campaign rally, flew a camera drone over the rally site “a few hours before Trump took the stage,” according to NBC News. The camera drone allowed Crooks to get an “overhead view” of the rally site, the outlet reported.
The X video, viewed 38,000 times as of writing, purports DiGuiseppe was seated behind Trump when a shooting occurred at his July 13 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. “Yes. Apparently, SHE KNEW IT! The woman in the video behind Trump, who calmly recorded the shots fired, is allegedly Janeen DiGuiseppi, assistant Director of FBI,” the video’s caption begins. “So… [the] assassination attempt on Trump was State Sponsored?” it continues.
In the video, a brunette woman wearing a white shirt, dark hat, and sunglasses films the moment shots were fired during the rally.
The claim is false. On July 19, Albany-based newspaper the Times Union reported DiGuiseppi did not attend Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The FBI confirmed to the newspaper that DiGuiseppi was not the woman sitting behind Trump when the shooting occurred after false claims began circulating online.
“The allegations circulating on social media about an FBI executive and the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania are categorically false,” the FBI said, according to the Times Union. “To be clear, the person depicted is not her and she did not attend the rally. The men and women of the FBI work tirelessly and selflessly to protect others every day, and false rumors and conspiracy theories targeting these dedicated public servants are reprehensible and irresponsible.”
“They are also dangerous and often lead to threats against them and their families. The FBI will continue to work with our partners to hold accountable anyone who makes violent threats against them or any of our colleagues in law enforcement,” the FBI added.
DiGuiseppe served as a “top FBI agent in Albany” before being promoted to assistant director of the FBI’s Insider Threat Office in Washington, D.C., in August 2023 the outlet indicated. The FBI issued a press release on August 14, 2023 announcing DiGuiseppe’s promotion. A photo of DiGuiseppe uploaded to the FBI’s website also notes her promotion. (RELATED: Is This A Recent Image Showing Donald Trump With No Injury To Right Ear?)
Likewise, Check Your Fact found no credible news reports to support the claim made via the X video. In fact, the opposite is true. On July 19, Snopes reported the claim is false. Although the outlet stated it was not able to identify the woman seated behind Trump at the rally, it was able to determine that her features were “remotely similar enough to assert that she was DiGuiseppi.”
An FBI spokesperson shared the same statement it had provided to the Times Union with Check Your Fact when contacted for comment.
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