Official FBI press release or public statement

FBI Uses Israeli Tech to Unlock Trump Shooter’s Samsung Phone in 40 Minutes

Jul 18, 2024, 09:14 PM

Following the failed assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, the FBI utilized software from the Israeli cyber firm Cellebrite to unlock the shooter's phone. The suspect, identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, had used a Samsung Android phone. Despite initial difficulties, the FBI managed to access the phone in less than 40 minutes after Cellebrite provided unreleased technology to crack the encryption. This collaboration underscores the strong US-Israel relationship in enhancing American law enforcement and security capabilities. The Washington Post reported that it took less than 40 minutes to access the phone using Cellebrite's data extraction tools.