Every move, every detail, and every word from Donald Trump is under a microscope. Recently, a striking new photo of Trump inside the White House sparked a frenzy among sharp-eyed social media users — unleashing a fresh wave of conspiracy theories online.
Trump’s life has been filled with dramatic moments, but none more chilling than the 2024 assassination attempt in Pennsylvania.
While campaigning in Butler to secure a re-election victory against Kamala Harris, the rally abruptly turned into chaos. Gunfire suddenly erupted from a nearby rooftop, shaking the crowd to its core.
The shooter, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crook, unleashed eight rounds from an AR-15 from roughly 400 feet away. One bullet struck Trump just above his right ear — a wound that many call miraculous for its non-fatal outcome.
Thomas Matthew Crooks — a quiet engineering student on the dean’s list — had been secretly stockpiling explosives for months before the attack. Moments after the gunfire erupted, a U.S. Secret Service agent responded swiftly, shooting and killing Crooks on the spot.
Aside from the injury to his ear, Trump escaped serious harm and has since made a full recovery. Remarkably, he credited a large immigration statistics chart displayed nearby with saving his life.
Just before the first shot rang out, Trump turned his head to the right toward the chart and pointed at it. This quick movement may have narrowed the profile of his skull from the shooter’s perspective, potentially preventing a fatal headshot. Reflecting on the harrowing 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 bullets critically wounded audience members, and a third took the life of a man named Corey Comperatore at the scene.
In the weeks that followed, Trump was often seen sporting a white bandage over his injured ear. His supporters, in a powerful display of solidarity, even wore similar bandages during his presidential campaign rallies.
Although Trump made a full recovery aside from the ear injury, the assassination attempt unleashed a flood of conspiracy theories online.
Some claim the attack was staged or exaggerated to gain sympathy and boost his campaign. Others allege secret groups orchestrated the shooting, weaving it into larger narratives of political intrigue and shadowy plots. Despite official reports and clear evidence, these theories continue to thrive—highlighting the deep divisions and mistrust defining today’s political climate.
Sharp Eyes Spot the Ear — And Spark New Speculation
Now, a recent photo released by the White House on June 21 has reignited wild speculation about the 2024 attempt.
The side-profile image shows Trump wearing his signature MAGA hat, with a clear view of his right ear—the very same ear grazed by a bullet or bullet fragment during the attack.
Social media users quickly noticed something surprising: the ear shows no visible sign of injury.
One user on X asked, “Isn’t this the ear that apparently took a bullet?” while another joked, “Forget the Nobel Peace Prize — Trump should go for the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for naturally regrowing an ear. It’s never been done before.”
Another user chimed in, “That photo from the situation room just shows the miraculous healing of Trump’s ear.”
Yet many have strongly pushed back against claims the event was staged, pointing to the chaotic outdoor setting, the presence of thousands of witnesses, and the dozens of cameras that captured every moment.
One commenter asked, “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—fired from the deceased subject’s rifle.”
Just one week after the attack, Trump shared a letter from former White House physician and Texas Congressman Ronny Jackson, confirming the severity of the wound.
Jackson detailed the injury as a “2 cm-wide gunshot wound in the right ear from a high-powered rifle,” describing “initially significant bleeding, followed by marked swelling of the entire upper ear.” He added, “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 didn’t hold back when criticizing FBI Director Christopher Wray’s suggestion that the injury might have been caused by shrapnel, calling it “absolutely irresponsible.” On X, he emphatically posted, “IT WAS A BULLET — I’VE SEEN THE WOUND! PATHETIC!!!”
Trump has spoken candidly about how the attack still affects him. “I get that throbbing feeling every once in a while,” he 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 mentioned the discomfort again during a Fox News interview last month while reflecting on two other foiled assassination attempts in 2024.
Reflecting on the dangers of his role, Trump stated, “This is a dangerous business. What I do is a dangerous business.”