VINCE Podcast Episode 175

Title: "New Info Blows the Lid Off The Butler Assassination Attempt"
Host (Guest Host): Haley Karenia (filling in for Vince Coglianese)
Date: November 24, 2025
Podcast Network: Cumulus Podcast Network | VINCE

Overview

In this episode, guest host Haley Karenia leads an in-depth exploration into the breaking developments of the assassination attempt on President Trump by Thomas Crooks in Butler, Pennsylvania. The episode features a thorough debrief of the newly released FBI findings, including exclusive insights from FBI Director Cash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino. Additional topics include the SNAP benefits controversy in Tennessee, the viral Oval Office moments with New York Mayor-elect Mamdani, White House holiday traditions, recent crime in Chicago, and viral social media rumors about Second Lady Usha Vance. A rich, rapid-fire discussion with Mary Margaret Olahan, White House correspondent for the Daily Wire, adds on-the-ground reporting and critical context.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. FBI Revelations: New Details on the Butler Assassination Attempt

Timestamps: 04:10 – 25:00

• No Foreign Plot, No Motive:
  The FBI, via Director Cash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino in an interview with Fox News Digital, shared that there was no evidence of a foreign government or organization orchestrating or assisting the assassination attempt on President Trump by Thomas Crooks.
• Key Investigation Stats:
  • 485 FBI employees involved
  • 1,000+ interviews
  • 2,000+ leads processed
  • 35 digital accounts tied to Crooks analyzed
  • 10+ search warrants, 100+ subpoenas
• Full Access: Rumors dispelled that Crooks had accounts the FBI couldn’t access—all digital, bank, and social accounts were examined.
• No Manifesto, No Motive Found:
  Despite a significant digital footprint (including searches on Oswald/Kennedy assassination, rally location logistics, and online engagement in extremist and pornography communities) Crooks left no manifesto or written statement of intent.
• Interesting Details:
  Crooks used foreign-based email accounts (Germany and Belgium), but the FBI found "no foreign connection."
• FBI's Credibility Challenge:
  The agency admits to public trust issues, largely due to prior mixed messaging (notably ex-Director Christopher Wray’s congressional testimony: “When the FBI director goes in front of Congress and says, 'Well, I don't know what hit President Trump in the head,' when clearly, by the time he spoke to Congress, he did know— that sows a lot of chaos.” — Haley Karenia, 13:30)
• Limits of Law Enforcement:
  The episode explores the delicate legal line between online threats (protected speech) and actionable intelligence. “You can't just throw people in jail because of speech. This is someone who's on YouTube saying he wants to assassinate politicians...so you can just say that online.” — Haley Karenia, 22:20

Notable Quote:

"There is no cover up here, no FBI cover up, no government cover up. And there was no motive, no reason behind Thomas Crooks’s shooting." — Deputy Director Dan Bongino, paraphrased by Haley Karenia (09:40)

2. Chicago Christmas Shooting—Juvenile Crime & City Violence

Timestamps: 25:34 – 29:30

• Incident Recap:
  Two separate shootings at a Christmas tree lighting in Chicago’s Loop involved several teenage victims; hundreds of juveniles rioted, and Chicago police were attacked with mace and stun guns.
• Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Response:
  Johnson calls for parental involvement and denounces “large unsanctioned gatherings,” but deflects focus from gun policies, recognizing “a lot more work to do.”
• Cultural Critique:
  Haley attributes the pattern of violence more to failing culture and parenting than just gun access:
  “It is not a gun problem. It is a culture problem. That’s obvious. And I’m glad [Mayor Johnson] called out parents.” — Haley Karenia, 28:01

3. SNAP Benefits Controversy in Tennessee

Timestamps: 29:30 – 35:00

• Featured Case:
  Nelson Scott, an able-bodied 38-year-old man with no dependents, loses SNAP benefits under Trump-era reforms. His complaints aired on local news highlight deeper issues about dependency and employment barriers.
• Diverse Views:
  Analyst commentary debates whether it’s a personal responsibility or systemic problem; Scott claims felony background impedes job prospects.
• Host’s Take:
  Haley: “I don't want people getting government funded freebies if they don't actually need it. These welfare programs are supposed to help you get back on your feet. This shouldn't be a long term solution for you.” (29:49)

4. White House Thanksgiving & Holiday Traditions

Timestamps: 35:34 – 38:17

• Turkey Pardoning Inside Scoop:
  First Lady Melania asking the public for turkey names on X; POTUS to stay in White House for Thanksgiving, then head to Palm Beach for the weekend.
• D.C. Holiday Vibes:
  Both host and guest reflect on the decorative transformation and festive mood in “The Swamp.”

5. Viral Oval Office Moment: President Trump & NYC Mayor-elect Mamdani

Timestamps: 38:17 – 44:00

• Backstory:
  Press feverishly anticipated the tense Oval Office meeting between Trump and Mayor-elect Mamdani, known for calling Trump a “fascist.”
• Memorable Interactions:
  Trump reportedly diffuses tension, “patting Mamdani’s arm as he said 'don't worry, it's okay that you called me a fascist. It's just the name of the game.'” — Mary Margaret Olahan, 43:20
• Interpretation:
  • Both men are “great in front of the camera” and disruptors in their parties.
  • Trump chooses collaboration over confrontation, showing “really good instincts.”

Notable Quote:

“They call Republicans fascists. They call Trump Hitler. They call Elon Musk a Nazi... they say it so much it loses its meaning.”
— Haley Karenia, 44:00

6. Odd White House Moments & The Arts

Timestamps: 44:00 – 49:12

• President Trump and Music:
  Trump plays musical show-tunes (e.g., Phantom, Les Mis, ABBA) over loudspeakers around the White House, including during solemn occasions—“He’s just, he loves his music. He’s a man of the Arts.” — Mary Margaret Olahan, 46:51
• National Anthem at the Kennedy Center:
  New rule: Symphonies now stand and play the anthem before every concert. This draws liberal criticism but is celebrated by Haley and Mary Margaret:
  "If you're going to play the National Anthem anywhere, it should be right here in the greatest country on the face of the planet." — Haley Karenia, 49:12

7. Epstein Files Transparency Act – The Political Fallout

Timestamps: 49:12 – 52:48

• Trump’s Position:
  The interest in the files from Democrats is labeled a political “hoax,” not the files’ existence.
• Democrat Backpedaling:
  Signs Democrats are growing nervous as new files implicate figures across both parties.
• Redactions Expected:
  Victim and sensitive information to be withheld; expectations set that released files may be less explosive than theorized.
• Full Transparency Advocated:
  Haley: “If you’re a bad guy, you’re going down. That’s all I care about.” (52:48)

8. Dispelling Vance Family Divorce Rumors

Timestamps: 52:48 – 56:28

• Online Rumors Debunked:
  Viral image taken out of context sparks speculation about Second Lady Usha Vance not wearing her wedding ring, paired with a hug between Erica Kirk and VP Vance.
• Context from Reporting:
  Usha often simply forgets her ring—no marital trouble.
• Media Responsibility:
  Mary Margaret Olahan:
  “Our goal...should be to understand the facts and the truth of it, not to take it to the next level and to hope that we can turn it into something that it's not. And look, I'm a journalist, I love a great story... but what I truly care is about the truth.” (55:13)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Public Trust and the FBI:

  "We're in a bad place. So now if the American people have this disbelief in this institution that he and Dan are now running, well, they've got a lot of work to do." — Haley Karenia (14:45)

• On Action vs. Privacy:

  "Could someone have called the FBI and said, hey, my son is looking up things like this, Maybe. ... [but] You can't just throw people in jail because of speech." — Haley Karenia (22:20)

• On Press Rumors:

  "If it's true, if you have evidence to back it up, please tell me. I want to know. I want to write about it. But don't be just guessing and pushing things, because these are real people involved." — Mary Margaret Olahan (56:15)

• On Cultural Problems in Chicago:

  "It's not a gun problem. It's a culture problem, and it's a parenting problem." — Haley Karenia (28:01)

• On Thanksgiving White House Traditions:

  "I love to see the Christmas decorations that we know Melania doesn’t like doing, but she does it anyway." — Haley Karenia (38:17)

Section Timestamps

• [04:10] FBI Investigation Into Butler Attempt—Scope, New Revelations
• [13:30] Trust in the FBI and Government Transparency
• [22:20] Online Radicalism, Red Flag Laws, and Privacy Concerns
• [25:34] Chicago Tree Lighting Shooting & Mayor Johnson’s Response
• [29:30] SNAP Benefits Cut, Personal Responsibility Debate
• [35:34] Holiday Traditions & White House Turkey Pardoning
• [38:17] Viral Oval Office: Trump Meets Mayor-elect Mamdani
• [43:20] Trump’s “It’s just the name of the game” to “fascist” label
• [44:00] Fascism, Name-Calling & Political Dialogue
• [46:51] Trump’s Showtunes & National Anthem at the Kennedy Center
• [49:12] Epstein Files: Political Fallout
• [52:48] Vance Divorce Rumors Debunked; Journalism Ethics
• [56:37] Where to Find Mary Margaret Olahan’s Reporting
• [57:42] (Light-Hearted Closing): Viral Videos, Granny on Trump, Trump-shaped Diamonds

Closing Notes

Haley wraps the episode on a personal, humorous note with viral videos, including a grandma mistaking President Trump’s TV image for someone “black” (joking on CNN’s color grading), a diamond cut in Trump’s profile, and a child’s roadside prayer—showcasing both her dry wit and lighter side for the audience.

For further reporting, guest Mary Margaret Olahan’s work can be found at Daily Wire and on social media at @marymargolahan.

Summary in a Sentence

This episode tackles the very latest on the Trump assassination attempt investigation, government transparency, urban crime, social safety net controversies, silly rumor-mongering, and the traditions and oddities that swirl around the highest office in the land—all through a sharply conservative lens with moments of warmth and humor.