A photo of Donald Trump’s right ear, showing it as if it were unscathed just weeks after he was shot, has sparked a debate today.
The former president was photographed for the first time since the July 13 shooting without a bandage on his injured ear.
The photo showed the 78-year-old man’s right ear. The ear appeared completely intact, with no cuts, scabs or bruises.
The controversy was further heightened when the FBI suggested that Trump may have been hit by shrapnel rather than a bullet, potentially downplaying the seriousness of the assassination attempt.
A doctor analyzed the photo and concluded that it certainly does not rule out that Trump’s ear was hit by a bullet.
PHOTO IN REQUEST: The above image is the first to be revealed of Donald Trump’s right ear since the assassination attempt
California plastic surgeon Dennis Dass said two things were at play.
First, the photo was grainy, zoomed in, and partially in the way of Trump’s hair, making it impossible to see any cuts, scabs, or missing pieces.
Secondly, he said it was possible that the bullet only grazed his ear and therefore no major damage was done.
The ear is full of blood vessels, meaning that even the smallest injury will bleed profusely, which could have made the attack look worse when it happened.
“It’s possible his injury was so minor that they didn’t have to do much,” Dr. Dass said.
‘It could be that there was a little pinching and then a lot of bleeding. That’s possible.
“Even if it was just a small cut, it would have been enough to explain the amount of blood we saw in the original image.”
He added that it is important not to downplay Trump’s injuries, which are no less dramatic regardless of the cause.
“I don’t think it really matters whether the injury was caused by glass or by a bullet,” he said.
“It’s a very unfortunate situation that he found himself in, and it was just horrible. I wish former President Trump the best.”
It’s a remarkable turnaround for Trump, who was shot in the ear at the rally less than two weeks ago
According to Dr. Dass, there was likely no sign visible due to the grainy image and the fact that the wound may have already been largely healed.
UC Health reports online that minor cuts can heal within a week, given that the shooting occurred nearly two weeks ago.
Trump was at Mar-a-Lago, Florida, where he met the Israeli prime minister when he showed off his right ear.
After the shooting, he was initially admitted to Butler County Hospital to be treated for a “gunshot wound to the right ear,” hospital records show.
His former White House physician, Ronny Jackson, who later examined Trump, said the bullet left a 0.8-inch mark in the flesh of his right ear, but that the cartilage was unharmed.
The Republican candidate also suffered “severe bleeding” shortly after the attack, he said, and “marked swelling” in his upper ear.
In an update released six days ago, he said the wound was healing well but still required a bandage.
“Given the highly vascular nature of the ear, there is still occasional bleeding that requires a bandage,” he said.
‘Given the wide and blunt nature of the wound itself, stitches were not necessary.’
In an update released today, he added that there is “no evidence” that Trump’s wound was caused by anything other than a bullet.
Trump was photographed with a bandage over his ear at the Republican Party Convention.
This led some attendees to imitate him in solidarity with the former president.