Featured Image Credit: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images
Topics: Politics, US News, News, Donald Trump
Rhianna Benson
Topics: Politics, US News, News, Donald Trump
A statement the FBI gave in response to the attempt made against Donald Trump's life last year has re-emerged this week, after a conspiracy theorist alleged that the entire incident was actually an inside job.
For those in need of a reminder, whilst attending an open-air campaign rally near Butler, Pennsylvania in July 2024, a 20-year-old man fired eight rounds at the President from AR-15-style rifle from the roof of a nearby building.
Trump, 79, obtained a minor wound at the hands of Thomas Matthew Crooks, whose aim tragically killed one audience member.
His gunfire also critically injured two others.
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The father-of-five was immediately rushed off the stage by security guards, blood streaming from the side of his face, whilst Crooks was quickly shot and killed by a member of the US Secret Service.
Taking to social media later that day, Trump said he'd been 'shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear'. He also claimed to have heard a 'whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin'.
The following week, the politician's administration released a doctor's note written by a former White House physician, which agreed that Trump had sustained a gunshot wound to his ear.
It stated that this bullet had been 'less than a quarter of an inch from entering his head, and struck the top of his right ear', and that the right-wing leader was 'doing well, and he is recovering as expected'.
Interestingly, however, with tomorrow marking one year since the assassination attempt took place, a number of critics have since been examining new pictures of Trump's ear and comparing them to pre-attack snaps, claiming they look identical.
Describing the similarities as 'proof' that the assassination attempt had been 'faked' to garner support from potential voters, believe the Republican obtained 'no damage' in actuality.
Taking to Twitter last week, one user pointed out: "Ear cartilage generally does NOT regrow," as another hit out: "Likely the biggest scam ever."
At the time, the FBI's director Christopher Wray initially admitted that the force weren't entirely sure whether Trump had been shot directly, or hit by a piece of shrapnel.
Appearing before the House Judiciary Committee, he was asked if all eight bullets fired by the now-deceased gunman had been accounted for, to which he confessed to not having this specific information immediately to hand.
"As I said, I think with respect to former President Trump, there's some question about whether or not it's a bullet or shrapnel that hit his ear," he continued.
"So it's conceivable, as I sit here right now, I don't know whether that bullet in addition to, you know, causing the grazing, could have also landed somewhere else. But I believe we've accounted for all of the shots in the cartridges."
A spokesperson for the bureau later told Newsweek that they'd been 'consistent and clear that the shooting was an attempted assassination of former President Trump which resulted in his injury, as well as the death of a heroic father and the injuries of several other victims'.
The official statement continued: "FBI Director Wray provided extensive congressional testimony on Wednesday about the FBI's investigation.
"This was a heinous attack and the FBI is devoting enormous resources to learn everything possible about the shooter and what led to his act of violence.
"The FBI's Shooting Reconstruction Team continues to examine evidence from the scene, including bullet fragments, and the investigation remains ongoing."
Looking back on the FBI's statement, one Reddit user confessed of the matter: "I do think it's odd that Trump hasn't shown us the damage to his ear yet...in my mind that supports the shrapnel theory."
Chiming in, another wrote: "Because the lack of damage will contradict his entire 'I TOOK A BULLET FOR DEMOCRACY' marketing."
A third user claimed: "I’ve been posting asking them to release the photos and people have just been calling me a ‘conspiracy theorist’. Because I don’t take the word of a serial liar with 34 felony convictions at face value without proof."
And another added: "I saw video of him playing golf yesterday. There was a good close up where you could clearly see his ear-no apparent injury."