FBI [Now] Says Trump Was Hit By A Bullet

“As I said, I think with respect to former President Trump, there’s some question about whether or not it’s bullet or shrapnel that hit his ear,” Wray testified before Congress earlier this week.

When asked Wednesday about how close the “assassin’s bullet” came to killing Trump, Wray said, “My understanding is that either it or some shrapnel is what, you know, grazed his ear.” He then agreed that it came very close to killing the former president.

Some people interpreted this testimony as the FBI Director saying in bureaucratic speech that Trump was not hit by a bullet. Trump firmly said he was and this was not taken too well. His use of a big oversized bandage also has led to some ridicule. 

“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 agency said in a statement.

Last night, I read an AP article ("FBI says Trump was indeed struck by bullet during assassination attempt") that suddenly made things more clear. 

As NYT notes:

Mr. Crooks fired eight bullets from an AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle. Gun experts say the ammunition that Mr. Crooks used can easily fragment after hitting a solid object, sending deadly debris through the air. In certain circumstances, shrapnel and bullet fragments can be lethal.

On Friday, The New York Times published an analysis that strongly suggested Mr. Trump was grazed by the first of the eight bullets fired by the gunman.

Okay. I thought that the "not a bullet" theory made some degree of sense. An actual bullet would logically do more damage. Still, that is just some gut reaction. What do I know about bullets? 

It is good to tread carefully. The head of the Secret Service had a bad appearance in front of the House and there were bipartisan calls for her to resign. 

And, she did so. Realistically, that was a given. Still,  unanswered questions remain. There have been long-held complaints about the Secret Service  

I also think that sometimes you just will make mistakes. Someone died and two other people were shot. So, we cannot just handwave it. But, human error, especially given the number of opportunities that arise, will occur.   

Up until now, federal law enforcement agents involved in the investigation, including the FBI and Secret Service, had refused to provide information about what caused Trump’s injuries. Trump’s campaign has also declined to release medical records from the hospital where he was first treated or to make the doctors there available for questions.

I understand that the FBI and Secret Service are wary about releasing details while the investigation is ongoing. The attack occurred two weeks ago. It takes time to investigate things. I was wary about having the Secret Service director testify so shortly afterward.

The lack of transparency from the Trump campaign (which would be seen as just plain wrong if Biden did it) is telling. We have "Trump’s former White House doctor, Ronny Jackson, a staunch ally who now represents Texas in Congress" eventually releasing medical details. How about the actual doctors?

There is no reason to take anything Trump says at face value without evidence to back it up. The guy is a known liar and bullshit artist. People not accepting when he says he was shot is not surprising.  

The request for information is cited as some sort of conspiracy theory. The CNN article notes that Trump repeatedly said he was hit by an intact bullet. The latest FBI statement suggests it can be a fragment. An intact bullet hitting his ear would have to be a glancing blow for it to result in as little damage.

No handwaving here -- the FBI director said it was a near miss. It was quite possible he could have been killed. But, we should have the details. And, a bullet fragment would make sense. If that is what happened.

(Symbolically, "taking a bullet" sounds more impressive, but it really doesn't matter. People are killed by shrapnel. It is not exactly trivial stuff.)  

CNN (time stamped last night) also noted:

The agency is seeking to interview Trump in its investigation of the assassination attempt to obtain a victim statement — a standard part of the investigation because he is a crime victim, according to a US official.

Why hasn't this happened yet? The statement should have happened right after the event. It was not like he was unable to do so. Reports are he golfed shortly afterward. His known displeasure with the FBI should not change things here.

The House of Representatives unanimously agreed to form a committee to investigate. That's fine. The House investigates things. Ultimately, the responsibility is in the hands of the FBI and Secret Service. A credible candidate would help too.

It's Trump so you know that will be a mixed bag.