The widow of a former fire chief who lost his life during the failed assassination attempt on then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, in 2024, is convinced there is a far-reaching conspiracy behind the incident.

Helen Comperatore, widow of former fire chief Corey Comperatore, sat down with NewsNation recently, where she opened up about the tragic event that claimed her husband’s life and the assassination attempt.

“I believe it was an inside job, inside the government somewhere,” she said. When interviewer Rich McHugh asked her if she believed it was a “political” plot, she replied, “Oh yeah, absolutely.” It comes after it emerged a top Trump official was targeted in an assassination attempt just 2 hours after being sworn in.

• Donald Trump’s ‘disgusting’ bedroom habits revealed as he aims to ‘compete with Melania’

• Donald Trump sparks health concerns after ‘ranting and raving’ on Fox News

She was then asked whether she had come across any evidence pointing to a wider conspiracy behind her husband’s death, though she stopped short of providing a definitive answer.

“Oh, I’ve been told things,” she said. “But I have something that happened with me that just afterwards and you’re starting to put the pieces together, it just made total sense,” reports the Mirror US.

She further stated her belief that 20 year old shooter Thomas Crooks did not act alone, and that a large-scale political plot to assassinate President Trump had been orchestrated. She stopped short of naming those she believes were responsible.

It should be noted that, at this time, no verifiable evidence exists to support claims of a conspiracy behind the high-profile assassination attempt. Comperatore made a direct appeal to President Trump, urging him to personally take charge of the shooting investigation.

She stated that she would not find closure over her husband’s death until those responsible are behind bars.

“Don’t forget us,” Comperatore said about a message she would send to the president. “Remember what we went through that day. We’re still here, and we need answers.”

It has now been two years since President Trump’s ear was grazed in Butler during a failed assassination attempt at a 2024 presidential election rally. The gunman, Crooks, was taken down at the scene.

Yet despite the shocking nature of the event, very few answers have emerged regarding a potential motive behind the violent attack.

Since his death in July 2024, Crooks has remained an enigma to law enforcement. He left behind no manifesto or explanation for his attempt on President Trump’s life, and his minimal online presence has made it increasingly challenging to piece together a profile.

A recent government watchdog report places the bulk of the blame on the Secret Service for its inadequate response to the threats. Notably, the Secret Service reportedly failed to receive 102 local radio transmissions concerning Crooks, leaving them completely in the dark about the dangers that were developing in the small town.

The report indicates that local law enforcement was aware of a suspicious individual, who was subsequently identified as Crooks. However, due to the absence of a joint communications room, the Secret Service only received five calls and three texts about the would-be assassin, a mistake that ultimately proved fatal, Comperatore says.

“My reaction is, why, why? Why wouldn’t you have reacted from one [call]?” Comperatore said about the reported warning signs. “I mean, If they had held him (Trump) back from that stage and not let him go, I wouldn’t be sitting here with you today,”.

Comperatore said that Secret Service got “everything” wrong leading up to the shooting. “They didn’t pick up the radios, they had no communication, they had no communication with the outside, none.”

The widow says she received no contact from the Secret Service until a year after the incident, in summer 2025, and even then, she said the agency failed to provide complete answers to her pressing questions. Meanwhile, Trump’s health concerns are growing as a new photo shows ‘something wrong’ with the president.