The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has confirmed that former President Donald Trump was struck by a bullet during an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on July 13. This confirmation puts to rest earlier doubts about the nature of Trump’s injury.
The FBI’s statement clarifies that Trump’s right ear, which was covered in blood following the incident, was indeed hit by a bullet or a fragment thereof fired from the rifle of the deceased gunman. The attack, which involved eight bullets being fired from outside the event’s security perimeter, has been officially classified as an assassination attempt.
FBI Director Christopher Wray had previously mentioned uncertainty regarding whether the object that struck Trump’s ear was a bullet or shrapnel. However, the latest FBI statement supports the conclusion that it was a bullet. Trump’s confirmation came shortly after posting a letter from his former White House physician, Ronny Jackson, who asserted that the wound was almost certainly caused by a bullet.
The attack resulted in the death of a 50-year-old Pennsylvania firefighter and serious injuries to two rally attendees. The gunman was neutralized by a US Secret Service sniper.
Trump has seized on the incident as a focal point of his campaign rhetoric. He has frequently mentioned the attack, describing it as a “bullet for democracy” and citing it in his speeches. His campaign has emphasized the injury as a symbol of his ongoing battle against political adversaries.
In response to Wray’s earlier comments, Trump took to Truth Social, accepting the FBI’s statement as an apology. He has continued to push back against claims of partisanship, maintaining that the wound was clearly a result of a bullet, not shrapnel or glass.
A recent New York Times investigation corroborated Trump’s account, suggesting through a detailed analysis of evidence that he was grazed by the first of eight bullets fired during the attack. Despite this, Trump’s campaign has not provided additional medical reports from his current physician, relying instead on Jackson’s commentary.
Sources By Agencies
