Former White House physician Ronny Jackson, now a conservative congressman from Texas, provided a detailed account of the injury sustained by former US President Donald Trump during an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania last week.
According to Jackson’s memo, the bullet passed close to Trump’s head, striking the top of his right ear and causing a two-centimetre-wide wound that extended to the cartilaginous surface of the ear.Initially, there was significant bleeding and marked swelling of the entire upper ear.
“The bullet passed, coming less than a quarter of an inch from entering his head, and struck the top of his right ear,” wrote Jackson.
“The bullet track produced a 2cm wide wound that extended down to the cartilaginous surface of the ear. There was initially significant bleeding, following by a marked swelling of the entire upper ear,” he continued.
Jackson, who flew to see Trump in New Jersey on the evening of the rally, has been treating the former president’s ear since the incident. He noted that the swelling has subsided, and the wound is beginning to heal properly, although some bleeding still requires a bandage.
Due to the nature of the wound, no sutures were necessary. Trump also underwent a CT scan of his head while being treated at the hospital in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The memo, published by Trump on his Truth Social network, also mentioned that the former president will have further evaluations, including a comprehensive hearing exam, as needed.
Jackson, who retired from the Navy as a rear admiral last year, has a history with the White House medical unit, having served under former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
During his time as Trump’s doctor, Jackson gained national attention for his effusive praise of the former president’s health and “great genes,” even suggesting that Trump could live to be 200 years old with a healthier diet.
However, Jackson’s nomination to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs was withdrawn following allegations of improperly distributing drugs and occasional drunkenness at work.
As a congressional candidate, Jackson aligned himself closely with Trump, endorsing the narrative that Obama had “weaponised” the government to spy on Trump. He also diverged from public health officials on the coronavirus, aying that mask wearing should be a personal choice and questioning Joe Biden’s cognitive ability to run for president.