Fact check: Did trump really get shot in the ear

1. Summary of the results

Yes, Donald Trump was indeed shot in the ear during an assassination attempt. Multiple authoritative sources confirm this fact:

The FBI officially confirmed that a bullet struck Trump's ear during the assassination attempt ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}. Specifically, the FBI stated that "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" ^[3].

Medical details reveal that Trump sustained a 2 cm-wide gunshot wound to the right ear and was recovering as expected ^[5]. The incident occurred during a rally where three other attendees were also shot, with one fatality ^[6].

The assassination attempt has been thoroughly documented and investigated by federal authorities, with Trump's own account of the incident being consistent with the FBI's findings ^[2].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks several important contextual elements:

• The incident was part of a broader attack - this wasn't an isolated shooting but an assassination attempt that resulted in multiple casualties, including one death among rally attendees ^[6]
• There was initial confusion and misinformation circulating immediately after the event, including misleading photos claiming to show Trump's ear with no damage, which were actually from 2022 ^[7]
• Some media figures questioned the severity of Trump's wound and suggested a lack of transparency regarding the injury details ^[8], though this occurred before the FBI's official confirmation
• Limited official medical information was initially released about Trump's treatment and care following the assassination attempt ^[9], which may have contributed to speculation and conspiracy theories

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself doesn't contain misinformation, but it reflects the atmosphere of doubt and conspiracy theories that emerged following the assassination attempt. The phrasing "really get shot" suggests skepticism that may have been influenced by:

• Early misinformation campaigns using doctored or miscontextualized photos to suggest Trump wasn't actually injured ^[7]
• Media personalities questioning the authenticity of Trump's injuries before official confirmation was available ^[8]
• The initial lack of detailed medical information from official sources, which created an information vacuum filled by speculation ^[9]

However, the FBI's definitive statement and medical documentation have conclusively established that Trump was indeed struck by a bullet during the assassination attempt, making any continued skepticism about this basic fact unsupported by evidence.