Google has confirmed it deliberately omitted autocomplete search results related to the assassination attempt on former U.S. President Donald Trump. The admission follows a complaint by Senator Roger Marshall, who questioned the company’s search algorithms.
The tech giant explained that its policy prohibits autocomplete predictions involving “hypothetical violence against current figures.” Mark Isakowitz, Google’s Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Policy for the U.S. and Canada, stated, “We do not allow predictions that can be interpreted as accusations against individuals or groups of serious malevolent acts, where there is a lack of well-established or expert supporting evidence.”
Pre- and Post-Incident Search Handling
Google emphasized that its search systems were consistent both before and after the attempted assassination. “These protections are not event-specific but rather applied to categories of possible searches. As a result, before July 13, 2024, it would have been inappropriate for our systems to offer any predictions involving possible assassination attempts on President Trump,” the company stated. In the wake of the incident in Butler, PA, Google acknowledged that “out-of-date systems led to an inadequate user experience.”
Senator Marshall’s Reaction
Senator Marshall responded by accusing Google of “openly” admitting to blocking search prompts related to the assassination attempt. He found Google’s explanation particularly troubling, noting, “Most shocking is their bizarre written defense that Trump’s assassination attempt was a ‘hypothetical act of political violence’ even up to the point of our public inquiry on July 28th.”
The controversy stems from an incident in which a 20-year-old gunman, Thomas Crooks, fired eight rounds from an AR-15 rifle at Trump during a rally in Butler County. The Secret Service neutralized Crooks after one bullet grazed Trump and killed a rally attendee. Over a month later, the FBI has yet to determine Crooks’ motive, as his digital footprint provided few clues.