Trump's Ear

I have questions.  First reports said a teleprompter was hit and Trump's ear was cut by glass.  News reports now say he was hit by a bullet.  What doctors treated him and when do we get a report on his ear?  Did anyone locate the bullet that hit his ear?  

So I've been googling away with these sorts of questions.  

Here's a close up of the picture from Getty Images.  It's the best I can find that shows his ear immediately after he was shot.  

So here's some of the most relevant things I found: 

 “I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening.” Variety July 13, 2024

“The bullet took a little bit off the top of his ear in an area that, just by nature, bleeds like crazy,” Mr. Jackson said in an interview. “The dressing’s bulked up a bit because you need a bit of absorbent. You don’t want to be walking around with bloody gauze on his ear.” New York Times July 16, 2024

"[Trump] spoke off-camera to the New York Post and the Washington Examiner, among others, in the days following the shooting, but he was mum about his medical condition, volunteering only that, 'the doctor at the hospital said he never saw anything like this, he called it a miracle.'" NBC News July 16, 2024

What hospital?  I understand that doctors can't talk about their patients' health.  But this is someone running for president.  The candidate should ask the doctor to tell the nation what the situation is. 

"His campaign said he was taken to a nearby hospital, but it’s not clear which medical center the GOP candidate was rushed to.

There are at least three hospitals in the area.

Butler Memorial Hospital, located in Butller, is part of the Butler Health System. It offers a comprehensive range of medical services, including emergency care and trauma services.

Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, is a Level I trauma center known for its advanced medical care and trauma services. It is approximately 35 miles south of Butler, providing a nearby option for specialized trauma care.

UPMC Presbyterian, also located in Pittsburgh, is another Level I trauma center. Like Allegheny General, it is about 35 miles south of Butler." NorthJersey.com July 13, 2024  (J. Staas Haught USA TODAY NETWORK)

BUTLER, Pa. (KDKA) — "Former President Donald Trump was taken to Butler Memorial Hospital after shots were fired at his rally on Saturday.

The hospital is about 11 miles from the Butler Farm Show grounds, where the rally was held. KDKA-TV learned the former president walked into the hospital on his own.

Video obtained by KDKA-TV also showed a motorcade escorting Trump from the hospital. At the end of the significant line of police cars, there was an ambulance. It was not clear if the former president was inside that ambulance. He was then taken to Pittsburgh International Airport." KDKA News July 13, 2024  

The Only Doctor We've Heard From

I'm concerned that the only medical person who saw the ear and is talking about it is Rep. Ronny Jackson, the White House physician who was called the Candyman for all the drugs he handed out freely at the White House, and who was demoted from a one star admiral to a captain after a scathing Inspector General's report about his service both in the military and the White House.

Aside from all that, after leaving the White House Jackson was elected to Congress from Texas and has been a loyal Trump supporter.  Not the most objective reporter.  

Now, bullet or shard of glass?

The New York Times has three photos from Doug Mills, purporting to show the bullet coming toward Trump, him grasping his ear, then we see the bloody hand.  I use the word 'purportedly' not because I doubt it, but only because it's not that clear, even when enlarged.  

Snopes used that same photo to debunk the story that went viral Saturday, that Trump was hit from a piece of glass from the shattered teleprompter.  They also say the teleprompter was fine.  And they point out parts of the ear they say show torn skin.  

In an article in STAT,   Usha Lee McFarling  and Rohan Rajeev talk to doctors about what they would be concerned about and testing for if they had a patient who'd had his ear shot.   They mostly want scans of the brain to make sure there was no damage.  Who is STAT?  The site says:

"STAT delivers trusted and authoritative journalism about health, medicine, and the life sciences."

Given all this, I'd also say this was not likely staged.  The bullet was less than an inch from his skull.  That's way too close for a fake assassination attempt.  

But the Secret Service - remember all the guys that deleted their texts on January 6, 2021 - slipped up.  They keep blaming the local SWAT team for messing up, but it's their operation.  Why didn't they get Trump off the stage when people said there was someone on the roof?

One Spouter gave the best short explanation of Crooks' motive.  Maybe it's this simple.  

So at this point, I'm reasonably convinced that Trump was hit by a bullet.  And this was not a set up to glorify Trump right before the Republican convention.  But we will, over time learn more - unless Trump becomes president again.

But I couldn't find anything on whether the bullet was recovered.   You'd think the media and the US public would be demanding specific, reports on all this.  Before Trump, doctor statements (not Candyman type doctors) would have been made with lots of detail.