# About the damage to Trump's right ear **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [October 15, 2025, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-the-damage-to-trumps-right-ear/1023998 "2025-10-15T17:00:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2025, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-the-damage-to-trumps-right-ear/1023998/41 "2025-10-15T22:12:39Z")
As we all know, the plural of anecdote is anecdata. So, here’s mine: My wife had to have a very small chunk taken out of her ear due to a melanoma about 8 months ago. It was roughly where Trump supposedly got shot- at the top of the ear, in the cartilage are, and was about 1/8th inch across. Even with stitches, it took about a month for the wound to completely seal, and she’s _still_ got a visible “bite” taken out of it. Makeup can’t cover it. Trump looking completely normal less than two weeks later, _especially_ at his age, stretches the bounds of credibility. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2025, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-the-damage-to-trumps-right-ear/1023998/42 "2025-10-15T23:21:51Z")
> [@](#): > > “The particular spot that he identified with his tap was pristine,” Nuzzi wrote. “I scanned carefully the rest of the terrain. It looked normal and incredible and fine.” Odd language for a reporter to use. Was it also _exceptional_? Seems to me that a minor ear nick could bleed for awhile, then heal without discernable distortion or scarring. Speculation suggesting fakery is poor form and not justified by valid evidence. ---
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2025, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-the-damage-to-trumps-right-ear/1023998/43 "2025-10-15T23:28:58Z")
I almost added that it’s the first time I heard an ear described as “incredible.” For a second, I thought she’d say it was “the best ear, the greatest ear humanity has ever known.” I decided not to because I thought her observation was probably valid despite the purplish prose. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2025, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-the-damage-to-trumps-right-ear/1023998/44 "2025-10-16T00:10:41Z")
Perhaps she meant incredible in the original sense of the word. As in “Looking at Mr Trump’s ear, I found the story that it had been struck by a bullet to be unbelievable.” Heck, when you remember that incredible literally means “impossible to believe” I find everything Donald Trump has ever said or done to be incredible. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2025, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-the-damage-to-trumps-right-ear/1023998/45 "2025-10-16T00:20:12Z")
I haven’t read the whole article, but that part seems alittle flippant. Maybe the author writes like that. I’m not familiar. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2025, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-the-damage-to-trumps-right-ear/1023998/46 "2025-10-16T01:20:43Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > “The particular spot that he identified with his tap was pristine,” Nuzzi wrote. “I scanned carefully the rest of the terrain. It looked normal and incredible and fine.” > > Odd language for a reporter to use. Was it also _exceptional_? Olivia Nuzzi is not know to be the most, uh, [objective member of the journalistic profession](https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/19/media/olivia-nuzzi-rfk-relationship-new-york-magazine/index.html). > [@Jackmannii](#): > > Seems to me that a minor ear nick could bleed for awhile, then heal without discernable distortion or scarring I’ve seen a couple of grazing bullet wounds (which still do a surprising amount of damage) as well as multiple industrial injuries to soft tissue (including one on myself which removed part of a fingertip). Even minor wounds can bleed a lot (and especially head wounds) but even a grazing bullet contact to the ear would leave visible swelling and likely tear off a chunk of material, and a supersonic bullet like a 5.56x45mm round would basically pulp the cartilage in proximity to contact. As described by @Lightnin the damaged area would not grow back completely except on a young child as [healing damage to cartilage tends to result in fibrous scar tissue](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8559576/). My speculation based upon the scenario and post-injury images of the ear is that Donald Trump was struck in the ear by some tiny fragment of shrapnel that has struck the stands behind him—either from the copper jacket of the bullet or material from the stands—moving at subsonic speed which just sliced the surface of the edge of the ear, not doing any significant damage but drawing a few drops of blood that then streamed across his face, making it appear more serious than it actually was. The notion that the Trump campaign could successfully conspire to fake such an event complete with sniper beggars belief, but they certainly knew how to milk the most public response from it. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2025, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-the-damage-to-trumps-right-ear/1023998/47 "2025-10-16T16:11:54Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > “The particular spot that he identified with his tap was pristine,” Nuzzi wrote. “I scanned carefully the rest of the terrain. It looked normal and incredible and fine.” > > Odd language for a reporter to use. Was it also _exceptional_? Olivia Nuzzi is weird. At least, I find her so. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2025, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-the-damage-to-trumps-right-ear/1023998/48 "2025-10-16T16:18:46Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > Olivia Nuzzi is weird. Oh, she’s not just weird. She is pathologically unhinged: > **[Olivia Nuzzi to release book about secret ‘relationship’ with RFK Jr.](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/robert-kennedy-olivia-nuzzi-sexting-book-b2845657.html)** > > A source claimed that Nuzzi ‘bombarded’ Kennedy with ‘pornographic’ images, but she claims he said that he wanted to ‘impregnate’ her Stranger ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2025, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-the-damage-to-trumps-right-ear/1023998/49 "2025-10-16T16:50:10Z")
I used to see her as talking head, but haven’t in quite a while. She used to always sit on an angle to her camera with her draped over one eye and spoke in a sultry voice. Offputting. Now? Sounds like she’s a total nutbar. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2025, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-the-damage-to-trumps-right-ear/1023998/50 "2025-10-16T16:59:28Z")
We may likely never know what actually damaged Trump’s ear. I’ve vacillated between theories before ultimately landing on “It doesn’t matter.” Trump lies about everything so we can disregard whatever comes from him or his circle, and all that’s left is that a) He was very nearly assassinated, which is a big frickin’ deal, and b) somehow during the assassination attempt, an injury caused his ear to bleed. Whether it was the bullet, or shrapnel, or if he got smacked by a secret service weapon or belt buckle or something on the way down, it basically doesn’t matter. _Of course_ Trump is going to exaggerate the damage. But the damage was minor, and yet it was a very significant event. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2025, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-the-damage-to-trumps-right-ear/1023998/51 "2025-10-16T19:58:11Z")
Somehow, he’s acquired the most talked-about ear since Van Gogh’s. 👂 ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2025, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-the-damage-to-trumps-right-ear/1023998/52 "2025-10-17T21:05:55Z")
So what are you trying to get at really **Czarcasm**? That Trump was never injured in the assasination attempt? You are aware that a bystander sitting behind Trump was shot and actually killed. His name was Corey Comperatore, and he is really dead. Trump getting nicked in the ear was somehow staged? Was that death staged too? Please explain your concern. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2025, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-the-damage-to-trumps-right-ear/1023998/53 "2025-10-17T22:18:32Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Trump actually complained that Time retouched the photo to make his hair disappear, so any retouching to make his ear seem whole seems doubtful. If Trump says there was retouching, I agree that’s strong evidence that there was no retouching. ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2025, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-the-damage-to-trumps-right-ear/1023998/54 "2025-10-18T10:00:19Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > My speculation based upon the scenario and post-injury images of the ear is that Donald Trump was struck in the ear by some tiny fragment of shrapnel that has struck the stands behind him—either from the copper jacket of the bullet or material from the stands—moving at subsonic speed which just sliced the surface of the edge of the ear, not doing any significant damage but drawing a few drops of blood that then streamed across his face, making it appear more serious than it actually was. Here’s something I don’t understand: Trump emerged with blood smeared toward the front of his face, but if the shooter was in front of him, shouldn’t the blood smears have gone toward the back of his head? Forgive me if this has already come up, but I haven’t heard any discussion about this anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2025, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-the-damage-to-trumps-right-ear/1023998/55 "2025-10-18T10:08:50Z")
I am guessing that when he put his head down, or crouched down, or put his hand there to feel his ear, or various swiveling motions with his head - after the shot - all of that could have made blood run down or forward. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2025, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-the-damage-to-trumps-right-ear/1023998/56 "2025-10-18T14:36:23Z")
> [@Biffster](#): > > Here’s something I don’t understand: Trump emerged with blood smeared toward the front of his face, but if the shooter was in front of him, shouldn’t the blood smears have gone toward the back of his head? Forgive me if this has already come up, but I haven’t heard any discussion about this anywhere. As @Velocity notes, if you look at [the video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYfvSspaJtk) you can see that Trump grabs his ear, bends forward a bit, and then the Secret Service agents ‘turtle’ on him as it becomes apparent that there is gunfire. So what we are seeing is probably just a few drops of blood falling forward, which can make a surprisingly visible streak. The fact that there was so little blood tends to support that this wasn’t a primary bullet wound but a fragment of the jacket or a splinter of material from something the bullet hit slicing or puncturing of the helix (outer shell of the ear). A lot of blood goes into the ears because they are not only the hearing sense organ but the outer ear also serves as a radiator for excess heat, so even a pinhole injury tends to bleed more than you would expect. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2025, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-the-damage-to-trumps-right-ear/1023998/57 "2025-10-19T08:45:12Z")
Thank you. A decent explanation. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-the-damage-to-trumps-right-ear/1023998.md?page=2)