Trump Weighs in As Sheriff Nanos Disputes Reports

On Thursday night time, news broke that the Pima County Sheriff’s Office was primarily selecting to deny requests from the FBI to review and course of “key” bodily evidence from the Nancy Guthrie case, with Sheriff Chris Nanos opting instead to ship it to a Florida lab quite than the FBI’s in Quantico, Virginia.

FBI sources told GWN that a glove and DNA allegedly discovered in the 84-year-old lacking Arizona lady’s Catalina Foothills home had been among the bodily evidence that the FBI was not given access to by the sheriff, with those officers telling the news outlet that such selections had been impeding progress in the investigation into Guthrie’s mysterious disappearance.

Additionally, one source told Fox News that the access that the FBI had been given by Nanos was “minimal.” NewsNation shared that an FBI source relayed to them that it was “insane” for Nanos not to be taking benefit of the help the FBI was offering.

READ MORE: Report: Pima County Sheriff Pulls Stunt in Nancy Guthrie Case That Has the FBI Fuming

Savannah Guthrie Pleads for Help As Investigation Extends to Home of Her Sister, Annie

In response to reviews of friction between his workplace and the FBI, Nanos has pushed back, telling Fox News reporter Matt Finn that there was a simple rationalization for why he despatched the evidence to the Florida lab instead of Quantico:

Nanos claims his workplace has been utilizing the same contracted non-public lab for many years, long before he was in workplace.  He says his workplace began sending the Guthrie evidence to this lab from the start and that the GUTHRIE FAMILY DNA and OTHER DNA SWABS are there too — so it is sensible to keep sending the incoming evidence there so that the lab can immediately run the new evidence against what is already in home.  Nanos claims the FBI was on board with this. He says why break up evidence between the non-public lab and Quantico.  “We trust the FBI’s crime lab, we’ve used them before, but in this case we started with that lab. It’s just that simple.”

While it is unclear precisely what day the FBI stepped in to offer help, President Trump announced on February 4, three days after Nancy Guthrie was reported lacking, that he was offering any and all federal assets Pima County would possibly need to help in finding her.  FBI Director Kash Patel was reported as heading to Tucson that same day.

In the same Fox News interview, Nanos disputed any suggestion that they do not have a good working relationship with the FBI, and also countered claims that they never called the FBI after Guthrie was kidnapped:

Nanos claims he’s working together WELL WITH THE FBI, claims he would have NO REASON not to search their help and partnership. “Absolutely crazy,” that he wouldn’t use their partnerships. 

Nanos claims he called the FBI the next working day, the Monday after Nancy went lacking. He shoots down claims he was reluctant to embrace the FBI and says for instance they shortly let the FBI take the lead on the ransom notes because the FBI is better at that with their technology.  

Perhaps most curiously from the interview, Nanos denied the FBI source’s allegation that a glove was discovered inside Nancy Guthrie’s home, saying “that they found a few different gloves in the area. Some miles away” but that “they are not necessarily prioritizing every glove — for example they’re getting calls of gloves in Phoenix a long ways away.”

And though Nanos chided people who had been speculating about attainable household involvement in Guthrie’s disappearance, he said he wouldn’t rule out any risk:

“Nobody is ever really eliminated” when requested if anybody has been ruled out.

Meanwhile, Trump was requested about why the FBI hadn’t taken over the investigation, maybe not understanding that Pima would have to “officially request” it from them first, which clearly hasn’t occurred. Here was Trump’s response:

“They didn’t want to let go of it, which is fine. It’s up to them. It’s really up to the communities,” Trump told reporters outdoors the White House Friday afternoon. “But ultimately, when the FBI got involved, I think, you know, progress has been made.”

Watch:

🚨WATCH: President Trump takes reporter questions and explains why FBI hasn’t taken over Nancy Guthrie case. pic.twitter.com/zHykkAP4j2

— Outnumbered (@OutnumberedFNC) February 13, 2026

Anyone with info is urged to contact the sheriff’s workplace tip line at 520-351-4900 or 1-800-CALL-FBI.  They can also report suggestions to http://suggestions.fbi.gov.

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