Sofia Martinez
There has been much speculation about whether former US President Donald Trump was hit by a bullet or plastic during an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania in July 2024. While Trump and many experts believe it was a bullet, with the New York Times analysis suggesting the same, the FBI initially withheld judgment until its investigation was complete. The FBI later confirmed that a bullet or its fragments struck Trump's ear during the assassination attempt.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of incident | July 13, 2024 |
| Location | Butler, Pennsylvania |
| Nature of the object | A bullet or its fragments |
| Part of the body hit | Right ear |
| People involved | Donald Trump, Christopher Wray, Ronny Jackson, Luke Laterza, Peter Diaczuk, Crooks |
| Organisations involved | FBI, The New York Times, Truth Social, House Judiciary Committee, Secret Service |
| Outcome | Trump sustained a gunshot wound to the right ear |
| Conspiracy theories | The attack was staged as a false flag, Trump was hit by a glass fragment |
| Refutations | No evidence of staging, teleprompters intact after the shooting |
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What You'll Learn
The FBI confirms a bullet struck Trump's ear
On July 13, 2024, former President Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. A man named Crooks opened fire at Trump from the rooftop of the AGR International warehouse.
Trump was clipped in the ear by something, and while many experts believed it was a bullet, not shrapnel or debris, FBI Director Christopher Wray initially withheld judgment until after the bureau's investigation was complete. Trump himself stated that he was hit by a bullet that pierced the upper part of his right ear.
On July 27, 2024, the FBI confirmed that a bullet or fragments of it struck Trump's ear during the assassination attempt. This confirmation came two days after Wray told House lawmakers that there was still a question about whether it was a bullet or shrapnel. The confirmation was met with backlash from Trump and his allies, who criticized Wray for casting doubt on the nature of the projectile.
The confirmation by the FBI marked a definitive law enforcement account of Trump's injuries and put to rest conspiracy theories that had circulated in the absence of clear information. The statement acknowledged that the projectile that struck Trump could have been the bullet whole or fragmented into smaller pieces.
The confirmation by the FBI was based on various sources of information, including ballistics analysis, eyewitness accounts, and medical reports. The investigation considered bullet trajectories, photographic evidence, and input from medical professionals who treated Trump.
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Trump's claim that it was a bullet, not shrapnel
There has been much debate over whether former US President Donald Trump was hit by a bullet or shrapnel during an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania in July 2024. While the FBI initially withheld judgment, Trump has consistently maintained that he was hit by a bullet. In a Truth Social post hours after the shooting, he wrote:
> I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening.
Trump's claim was supported by an analysis published by the New York Times, which used a 3D model of the scene and input from an audio forensics expert to study the trajectory of the first bullet. This analysis reportedly showed that the bullet had travelled in a straight line from the rifle's barrel and grazed Trump's ear, rather than hitting something else that caused a fragment to hit him. This conclusion was echoed by Peter Diaczuk, a professor of forensic science, who pointed out that there were no objects between the shooter and Trump that could have created flying debris, and that the podium and seats were positioned in such a way that made it unlikely he was hit by a fragment.
Trump's personal White House doctor, Ronny Jackson, also insisted that there was "absolutely no evidence that it was anything other than a bullet", citing his review of Trump's medical records. Trump himself has criticised the FBI's handling of the investigation, expressing outrage at the suggestion that he might not have been struck by a bullet. He wrote on Truth Social:
> No, it was, unfortunately, a bullet that hit my ear, and hit it hard. There was no glass, there was no shrapnel.
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The New York Times' analysis suggests a bullet
The New York Times analysis suggests that former US President Donald Trump was hit by a bullet during an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania. The publication's study of the incident, which included an analysis of bullet trajectories and other information, concluded that the first bullet fired grazed Trump's ear. This finding was supported by Peter Diaczuk, a professor of forensic science, who noted that there were no objects between the shooter and Trump that could have created flying debris. Diaczuk also pointed out that the positioning of objects behind Trump made it unlikely that he was hit by a fragment.
The New York Times used a 3D model of the scene and input from an audio forensics expert to study the trajectory of the bullet. Their analysis showed that the bullet travelled in a straight line from the rifle's barrel and grazed Trump's ear on its way to its final destination. This suggested that the bullet did not strike any other objects in between, which would have caused it to fragment. The Times' analysis contradicted initial claims that Trump was hit by a glass fragment or shrapnel.
Trump himself has consistently maintained that he was hit by a bullet, stating that he heard a "whizzing sound" and felt the bullet ripping through his skin. He also wrote on Truth Social that there was "no glass, there was no shrapnel". Trump's former White House doctor and current Republican representative, Ronny Jackson, also supported the claim that Trump was hit by a bullet. Jackson evaluated and treated Trump's wound daily and confirmed that Trump sustained a gunshot wound to the right ear.
The New York Times' analysis and the statements from Trump and Jackson contradict the initial ambiguous comments made by FBI Director Christopher Wray. Wray had stated that there was "some question" about whether Trump was hit by a bullet or shrapnel. However, the FBI later confirmed that a bullet, whether whole or fragmented, struck Trump's ear during the assassination attempt. This confirmation marked the most definitive law enforcement account of Trump's injuries at the time.
The incident in question occurred during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024. Trump survived an assassination attempt by a gunman with a high-powered rifle. The shooter, who was located on a rooftop, fired two shots towards Trump, with the first shot grazing Trump's right ear. The second shot, fired by a member of the emergency services unit, hit the shooter's rifle stock, causing it to fragment and injure the shooter. Trump's quick reaction of turning his head likely saved him from a direct gunshot wound to the skull.
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Ballistics experts weigh in on the debate
Ballistics experts and other key figures have offered differing opinions on the object that struck Donald Trump during the assassination attempt in Pennsylvania.
Luke Laterza, a former sergeant with the Newark Police Department's ballistics lab, suggested that the FBI had been tight-lipped about the investigation, which was typical of the bureau. He did not offer a conclusion on whether Trump was hit by a bullet or debris.
Peter Diaczuk, a professor of forensic science at New York City's John Jay College of Criminal Justice, supported the findings of the New York Times, which suggested that Trump was hit by a bullet. Diaczuk pointed out that there were no objects between the shooter and Trump that could have created flying debris, and the positioning of objects made it unlikely that Trump was hit by a fragment. He also noted that bullets "do not break apart in the air."
FBI Director Christopher Wray initially stated that there was "some question" about whether Trump was hit by "a bullet or shrapnel," adding that there was ongoing work to be done in the investigation. This statement sparked backlash among Republican lawmakers and Trump himself, who has consistently maintained that he was hit by a bullet. Trump's former White House doctor and current Republican representative, Ronny Jackson, also refuted Wray's statement, insisting that there was "absolutely no evidence that it was anything other than a bullet."
The FBI later confirmed that a bullet or fragments of it struck Trump's ear during the assassination attempt. This statement was echoed by Sen. Lindsey Graham, a close Trump ally, who urged Wray to correct his testimony, stating that Trump being hit by a bullet was clear from the briefings his office received.
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Conspiracy theories about the assassination attempt
The attempted assassination of Donald Trump in Pennsylvania sparked a wave of conspiracy theories. Within minutes of the incident, social media platforms were inundated with unsubstantiated claims and speculations.
Some people, including left-wing, right-wing users, and bots, suggested that the attack was staged as a "false flag" operation designed to garner sympathy for Trump and boost his image ahead of the 2024 presidential election. However, no evidence emerged to support these claims.
Other conspiracy theories blamed a range of actors, from the Chinese government to Antifa, without providing any evidence. Some people on the left even suggested that Trump himself staged the attack, while those on the right blamed the Democrats and the deep state.
There was also speculation about the source of the blood on Trump's face, with some internet sleuths suggesting that it came from his mouth when he ducked and collided with the agent's gun.
Additionally, there was debate about whether Trump was hit by a bullet or shrapnel. While the FBI confirmed that a bullet or fragments of it struck Trump's ear, there were conflicting opinions among ballistics experts. Some believed it was a bullet, while others suggested it could have been a fragment or shrapnel.
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Frequently asked questions
While the FBI initially stated that there was "some question about whether or not it’s a bullet or shrapnel" that hit Trump, they later confirmed that a bullet struck Trump's ear during the assassination attempt.
Trump said, "I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening."
The New York Times published an analysis of the events, including bullet trajectories, and concluded that the first bullet grazed Trump's ear.
Yes, some people on the internet, including left-wing and right-wing users, claimed that the attack was staged as a false flag. However, no evidence emerged to support these claims.
