Every move, detail, and word from Donald Trump is carefully scrutinized.
Recently, a new photo of Trump inside the White House caught the attention of sharp-eyed social media users, igniting a wave of conspiracy theories online.
Donald Trump’s life has been marked by many dramatic moments, but the 2024 assassination attempt in Pennsylvania stands out as one of the most shocking.
At the time, Trump was campaigning for re-election in Butler, aiming to defeat his opponent Kamala Harris. But his rally came to a sudden halt when gunfire erupted from a nearby rooftop.
The shooter, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crook, opened fire with an AR-15, firing eight rounds from about 400 feet away. One bullet struck Trump in his upper right ear — many consider it a miracle that he survived the attack.
Crooks, described as a quiet engineering student on the dean’s list, had been stockpiling explosives for months leading up to the attack. Moments after the shooting, a U.S. Secret Service agent shot and killed Crooks on the spot.
Aside from the ear injury, Trump escaped serious harm and has since fully recovered. He later credited a large chart displaying immigration statistics with saving his life.
Just before the first shot was fired, he turned his head to the right, toward the chart, and pointed at it. This movement may have narrowed the profile of his skull from the shooter’s angle, potentially preventing a direct hit to his head. Reflecting on the moment, Trump said, “If I hadn’t pointed at that chart and turned my head to look at it, that bullet would have hit me right in the head.”
Tragically, two other bullets critically wounded two audience members, and a third bullet took the life of a man at the scene, named Corey Comperatore.
In the weeks following the attack, Trump was often seen wearing a white bandage over his injured ear. Some of his supporters even donned similar bandages as a show of solidarity during his presidential campaign.
While Trump made a full recovery aside from the ear injury, the incident sparked a flood of conspiracy theories online.
But some has claimed the attack was staged or exaggerated to gain sympathy and boost his campaign. Others suggested secret groups were behind the shooting, feeding into broader narratives of political intrigue and shadowy plots. Despite official reports and evidence, these theories continue to circulate, reflecting the deep divisions and mistrust in today’s political climate.
Quickly noticed the ear
And now, a recent photo released by the White House on June 21 has reignited wild speculation online about the 2024 assassination attempt.
The side-profile image shows Trump wearing his signature MAGA hat, with a clear view of his right ear — the same ear that was grazed by a bullet —or a fragment of it– during the attack.
Social media users quickly noticed the ear appeared to show no visible signs of injury.
One person on X asked, “Isn’t this the ear that apparently took a bullet?” while another joked, “Trump should forget the Nobel Peace Prize and go for the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for naturally regrowing an ear. It’s never been done before.”
Another user added, “That photo from the situation room just shows the miraculous healing to Trump’s ear.”
However, many have strongly rejected the idea that the event was staged, highlighting the chaotic outdoor setting, the presence of thousands of witnesses, and the dozens of cameras that recorded the incident.
One commenter wrote, “How exactly was it faked in an outdoor setting with thousands of witnesses and dozens of cameras? One of those cameras even caught the bullet in mid-air.”
Official sources have confirmed the injury was real. The FBI stated, “What struck former President Trump in the ear was a bullet, whether whole or fragmented into smaller pieces, fired from the deceased subject’s rifle.”
Just one week after the shooting, Trump shared a letter from former White House physician and Texas Congressman Ronny Jackson confirming the severity of the wound.
Jackson described a “2 cm-wide gunshot wound in the right ear from a high-powered rifle,” noting “initially significant bleeding, followed by marked swelling of the entire upper ear.” According to Jackson, “The swelling has since resolved, and the wound is beginning to granulate and heal properly. Given the broad and blunt nature of the wound itself, no sutures were required.”
Jackson also criticized FBI Director Christopher Wray’s suggestion that the injury might have been caused by shrapnel, calling it “absolutely irresponsible” and posting on X: “IT WAS A BULLET — I’VE SEEN THE WOUND! PATHETIC!!!”
The president has spoken openly about how the attack continues to affect him. “I get that throbbing feeling every once in a while,” Trump told reporters on June 27 while discussing threats to his life, according to USA Today.
At a rally just before his inauguration, Trump said, “I still have that throbbing feeling in my ear.” He later referenced the discomfort again during a Fox News interview last month, while discussing two other foiled assassination attempts in 2024.
Speaking about the risks of his job, Trump said, “This is a dangerous business. What I do is a dangerous business.”
