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DON THE DEFENSE
FBI says Donald Trump WAS hit in the ear by bullet in screeching U-turn after chief cast doubt over shooting
The assassination attempt led to criticism of the Secret Service
DONALD Trump WAS hit in the ear by a bullet, the FBI has confirmed - just days after its director suggested he wasn't.
Bureau boss Christopher Wray said Wednesday there was "some question" about whether or not it was "a bullet or shrapnel" that hit the former president during an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13.
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Trump furiously hit back at the suggestion Thursday night, insisting he was hit in the ear and "hit hard."
Hours later in a statement on Friday, the FBI admitted "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."
The U-turn came just two days after FBI Director Wray said before Congress it wasn't clear if Trump's injuries were caused by a bullet or shrapnel.
He told the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday that it was "conceivable" the bullet fired at the former President "in addition to causing the grazing, could have also landed somewhere else."
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Trump, meanwhile, has vividly described his injury, telling supporters at the Republican National Convention last week he came within "a quarter inch" of death.
Responding to the FBI on Friday night, he said, "Did you see the FBI today apologized?
"It just never ends with these people. They raid Mar-a-Lago, they do things so bad. Our country is so sick.
"But they apologized, we accept their apology."
Most read in The US Sun
The former president was speaking at the Believer's Summit, sponsored by Turning Point USA, in Florida when he made the comments.
He went on to add that he has "recovered well" from the shooting, telling the crowd that he, "just took off the last bandage off of my ear."
Donald Trump hits back at FBI chief’s claims he may not have been shot as ex-president insists ‘bullet hit my ear hard’
"I just got it off, I took it off for this group," he added.
"I don't know why I did that for this group but that's it, I think that's it, I hope that's it."
The former president was quick to bash his rival Kamala Harris during the address, declaring her "worse than Joe Biden and in a true sense much more liberal."
"She was a bum 3 weeks ago, she was a bum,"; he told the crowd.
"A failed VP, in a failed administration, with millions of people crossing and she was the Border Czar."
He also criticized the vice president for skipping Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to Congress this week, after welcoming Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida earlier today.
Harris met with the PM on Thursday, holding what she described as a "frank" conversation with the leader.
It comes as Netanyahu faces immense pressure over his handling of the war between Hamas and Israel as Gaza's Hamas-run Health Ministry reported that over have been killed.
Harris declared after their meeting, “It is time for this war to end and end in a way where Israel is secure, all the hostages are released, the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza ends and the Palestinian people can exercise their right to freedom, dignity and self determination."
At Mar-a-Lago on Friday, meanwhile, Netanyahu and Trump posed together for a picture holding a framed photo of Ariel Bibas, who Netanyahu told Trump is one of the youngest hostages being held captive by Hamas, according to a video that the PM posted to X.
Netanyahu presented the image to Trump and told him that the child's grandfather wanted him to give the picture to the former president.
“We’ll get that taken care of,” Trump replied before they posed for the photo.
The news comes as:
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- Barack Obama finally endorses Kamala Harris for president
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It came just hours after Trump vowed on Friday to return to Butler, Pennsylvania, where Thomas Crooks, 20, opened fire at his campaign rally, hitting the former president and killing Corey Comperatore, who was at the event with his family.
He on his social media platform, Truth Social that he would host a "big and beautiful rally honoring the soul of our beloved firefighting hero, Corey, and those brave patriots injured two weeks ago."
"What a day it will be - fight, fight fight! Stay tuned for details," he added.
Trump was addressing his supporters at the campaign rally when Crooks opened fire from a nearby rooftop.
Cameras were rolling as the former President took cover as shots rang out, grabbing onto his ear in pain.
Crooks was killed by Secret Service counter snipers just moments later but the shooting is still under investigation.
While speaking to the committee, FBI Director Wray said, "With respect to former President Trump, there's some question about whether or not it was a bullet or shrapnel that hit his ear."
However, Texas Representative Ronny Jackson, who once served as the White House physician under then-President Trump disputed Wray's testimony.
"There was no evidence it was anything other than a bullet," Jackson in a letter posted to X.
"Congress should correct the record as confirmed by both the hospital and myself. Director Wray is wrong and inappropriate to suggest anything else."
IN DISGRACE
Weeks after the shooting, US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned from her position, admitting that the agency failed its duty to protect the nation's leaders.
Before her resignation, Cheatle faced extreme backlash over the Secret Service's actions during the assassination attempt.
President , meanwhile, praised Cheatle on July 17 for her "selfless" dedication.
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"She has selflessly dedicated and risked her life to protect our nation throughout her career in the United States Secret Service," Biden said in a statement.
"We especially thank her for answering the call to lead the Secret Service during our Administration and we are grateful for her service to our family.
"As a leader, it takes honor, courage, and incredible integrity to take full responsibility for an organization tasked with one of the most challenging jobs in public service."
Biden confirmed that an independent review into the security at the campaign rally is ongoing.
Jackson added that he has been treating Trump following the attack and agrees with the assessment made by doctors at Butler Memorial Hospital on the day of the shooting.
Medical records about Trump's injury haven't been released and there are no official accounts from the state or federal government.
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The FBI said in a statement that the shooting is still under investigation.
"The FBI's Shooting Reconstruction Team continues to examine evidence from the scene, including bullet fragments, and the investigation remains ongoing."
Donald Trump Butler Rally Shooting Latest
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was grazed by a bullet while speaking at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024.
Donald Trump was not critically injured and is expected to make a full recovery. He has since made his first public appearance after the shooting.
- July 13: Trump was grazed by a bullet from an AR-15-style rifle 430 feet away from where he was delivering remarks to supporters in Butler.
- Trump shared that the bullet tore a piece of his right ear.
- The shooting left rally-goer Corey Comperatore dead and two others injured.
- The FBI identified the would-be assassin as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania.
- Crooks was killed by a Secret Service counter-sniper.
- July 14: President Joe Biden urged for a cooldown in politics following the attempt on his predecessor's life.
- Biden launched an independent review into the rally's shooting and to assess what went wrong.
- July 15: GOP delegates gather at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee to formally name Donald Trump as the party's presidential nominee.
- In a Truth Social post, Trump announced Ohio senator JD Vance as his vice president pick.
- Trump makes his first public appearance since the attempt on his life during the Republican National Convention.
- The Republican presidential candidate, 78, walks into the Fiserv Forum visibly emotional with a white bandage on his right ear.
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