Nancy Guthrie Case: Trump Weighs in as Investigation Hits 6-Month Mark

As the Nancy Guthrie investigation hit the six-month mark last week, with no updates on her whereabouts or potential suspects, President Donald Trump weighed in on the case.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday (August 2), Trump was asked about the investigation and whether it was “time for the FBI to get involved.” The president noted that the FBI is “involved to an extent,” but said that “the local community really runs those things.”

He continued, “And, you know, some people haven’t liked the way the local communities run it. They haven’t liked the way the sheriff’s run it. But we would like to give them the benefit… We’re there anytime they need us.”

“It’s a terrible thing,” Trump added.

Nancy, the 84-year-old mother of Today’s Savannah Guthrie, went missing on February 1, when police believe she was abducted from her home in Tucson, Arizona. Investigators have released doorbell camera footage of a masked suspect and sent DNA for testing at the FBI lab in Quantico, but no suspects have been named publicly.

At least two ransom notes are believed to have been sent by those involved in the crime. The first demanded $4 million in cryptocurrency, while a second letter claimed that Nancy had died and was “buried in nature.”

Trump’s remarks come after a recent Wall Street Journal article highlighted missteps by the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and its lead investigator, Sheriff Chris Nanos. The article detailed how deputies reportedly underestimated the significance of dried blood on Nancy’s front porch at the start of the case.

Deputies also failed to sufficiently secure the crime scene, per the report, allowing journalists and delivery drivers to access the property. In addition, a search-and-rescue aircraft remained grounded until later in the day because no trained deputy was available to operate it.

The article also noted criticism of FBI Director Kash Patel, who initially said the FBI would take an active leadership role in solving the case. However, as the case enters its sixth month with no significant updates, questions have been pointed at the agency’s response.

Last month, Nanos disputed the WSJ’s report, telling the outlet, “I can assure everybody that we are working hard every day with all of our partners,” Nanos said, including “corporate America [which has] offered up some assistance with some of the brightest minds in this country.”

He also reiterated, “This case is not cold.”

The FBI also provided a statement, writing, “The state is the lead in this investigation, has always been the lead. The FBI has met every assistance request asked of us, even when requests came late.”