Donald Trump Gives His Opinion on Nancy Guthrie Case

President Donald Trump is standing behind the Arizona sheriff’s department leading the increasingly controversial investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie — even as disturbing questions mount over alleged mistakes made during the critical first hours of the case.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Aug. 2, Trump said he was willing to give local authorities the “benefit” of the doubt in the baffling disappearance of the 84-year-old mother of Today co-host Savannah Guthrie.

Nancy vanished from her Tucson-area home in the early hours of Feb. 1, 2026. Investigators believe she was abducted from her bed, but six months later, there has been no arrest, no confirmed sighting and no clear explanation of what happened to her.

“Is it time for the FBI to get involved?” a reporter asked Trump.

“Well, they are involved to an extent, but as you know, the local community really runs those things,” the 80-year-old Republican president replied.

“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.

His comments came just days after The Wall Street Journal published a detailed account of alleged investigative failures by the Pima County Sheriff’s Department — missteps that critics fear may have cost authorities precious time.

Questions Grow Over Early Mistakes

According to the Journal, deputies initially underestimated the importance of dried blood discovered on Nancy’s front porch.

The crime scene was also allegedly not secured tightly enough, allowing reporters and delivery drivers to access the property while investigators were still trying to determine what had happened.

Another potentially crucial delay involved a search-and-rescue aircraft equipped with advanced surveillance technology. The plane reportedly remained grounded until later in the day because no trained deputy was immediately available to operate the equipment.

Those revelations have intensified public scrutiny of Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, who has repeatedly insisted that the investigation remains active.

“I can assure everybody that we are working hard every day with all of our partners,” Nanos told the Journal on Wednesday, July 29.

He said the department had received help from “corporate America,” including assistance from “some of the brightest minds in this country.”

“This case is not cold,” Nanos insisted.

Still, the lack of a breakthrough has become increasingly painful for Nancy’s family, which has publicly pleaded for help while describing their anguish over her disappearance.

Ransom Notes Deepened the Mystery

The case became even more alarming after authorities received ransom notes demanding millions of dollars in cryptocurrency.

Later messages reportedly claimed Nancy had died shortly after the alleged kidnapping, adding another chilling layer of uncertainty to an already complicated investigation.

Authorities have continued pursuing leads and analyzing forensic evidence, but major questions remain about whether the early handling of the crime scene damaged the search for answers.

The six-month stalemate has also placed pressure on FBI Director Kash Patel.

Patel initially indicated that the FBI would take an active role in helping solve the case. But as the months passed without a major public breakthrough, critics began questioning the agency’s involvement and its limited communication about the investigation.

The FBI declined to make Patel available for an interview with The Wall Street Journal.

“The state is the lead in this investigation, has always been the lead,” an FBI spokesman told the outlet.

“The FBI has met every assistance request asked of us, even when requests came late.”

That final phrase — “even when requests came late” — appeared to underscore the growing tension surrounding how the case has been managed.

For now, Trump is publicly backing the local sheriff while leaving the door open for additional federal involvement.

But after six months of ransom demands, conflicting messages, disputed evidence handling and no arrests, Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance remains one of the country’s most haunting and frustrating unsolved cases.