FBI Director Christopher Wray stirred controversy this week with his comments casting doubt on former President Trump’s assertion that he was struck by a bullet during the assassination attempt on July 13. During his testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, Wray questioned whether the injury to Trump’s ear was caused by a bullet or shrapnel.
In a discussion with Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.), Wray suggested that it could have been either a bullet or a piece of shrapnel that grazed Trump’s ear. This statement did not sit well with Trump, who had previously claimed that he was indeed hit by a bullet during the Butler, Pa., rally. Trump has since characterized his survival as a miracle, attributing it to divine intervention.
Following the FBI director’s remarks, Trump took to Truth Social to vehemently dispute Wray’s statements. He insisted that it was a bullet that struck his ear, not shrapnel or glass, as Wray implied. Trump criticized the FBI for what he described as a loss of credibility, suggesting that the agency’s missteps had eroded public trust. In his post, Trump referenced the hospital’s description of his injury as a “bullet wound to the ear” and accused the FBI of failing to investigate the matter thoroughly.
Trump’s former physician, Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), has come to his defense, asserting that there is “absolutely no evidence” supporting the theory that anything other than a bullet caused the injury. Jackson urged Congress to correct the record and dismissed Wray’s comments as inappropriate. Trump, who appointed Wray as FBI director in 2017, also received support from other Republicans. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) called on Wray to amend his statements, criticizing the FBI for creating unnecessary confusion.
Adding to the debate, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) weighed in, with Johnson accusing Wray of having a “credibility problem” and Goldman suggesting that Trump needs to provide evidence to back up his claims.
The FBI, which is leading the investigation into the shooting that resulted in one death and two injuries, has maintained that the probe is ongoing. They have asserted that they are dedicating significant resources to understand the shooter’s motives and the specifics of the attack. However, the agency has yet to provide definitive conclusions on the exact nature of the injury to Trump’s ear, with investigations continuing into the metal fragments found at the scene.
In this tense atmosphere, the call for transparency and clarity remains high, as both political and public scrutiny intensifies over what exactly transpired during the attack.