Donald Trump responded after the FBI dismissed rumors claiming he wasn’t hit by a bullet during an attempt on his life at a rally in Pennsylvania. The bureau stated that a bullet, whether whole or fragmented, from the deceased subject’s rifle did strike Trump in the ear.
Trump accepted this clarification, stating, “I assume that’s the best apology we’ll get from Director Wray, but it is fully accepted!”
Supporters, like far-right activist Laura Loomer, expressed outrage at the FBI’s earlier doubts. Some officials, including FBI Director Wray, had questioned whether Trump was actually hit by a bullet during the attack.
Shortly after the incident, Trump affirmed to The New York Post that a bullet had indeed hit him, causing serious ear damage. His physician, Ronny Jackson, confirmed this, emphasizing there was no evidence to suggest otherwise.
After Wray’s congressional testimony, where uncertainties were raised again, Trump publicly rebuked him, underscoring that it was undeniably a bullet that struck him. Trump also criticized the FBI’s declining credibility in the eyes of the public.
The FBI is now aiming to interview Trump as part of their investigation into the assassination attempt, treating him as a victim. The agency has maintained from the start that the incident was an attempted assassination of the former president.
During Wray’s testimony, it was revealed that the assailant, Thomas Matthew Crooks, had researched the JFK shooting and operated a drone near the rally location before the attack. Crooks was fatally shot by Secret Service agents on-site.
Following the incident, Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned, characterizing the assassination attempt as a significant operational failure within the Secret Service, according to her congressional testimony.