Donald Trump’s former doctor has revealed it is an “absolute miracle he wasn’t killed” after examining his ear following the assassination attempt.
Ronny L Jackson, 57, met Trump, 78, in Bedminster, New Jersey, after his near-death experience to “check in personally”.
“I am extremely grateful that his life was saved,” Jackson wrote in a letter posted on Saturday. Social Truth by Trump. “It was an absolute miracle that he wasn’t killed.”
The doctor said Trump suffered a two-centimeter (about an inch) gunshot wound during last week’s assassination attempt.
Jackson revealed that the Republican candidate had to undergo a CT scan of his head in Pennsylvania after the bullet severed his ear, and that his injury continues with “intermittent bleeding,” requiring him to keep on the bandage, which has since become a symbol of solidarity among his supporters.
The memo from former White House physician Ronny Jackson, now a hard-line right-wing lawmaker from Texas, is one of the first detailed accounts of the injury Trump suffered when 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire at a rally in Pennsylvania a week ago, killing one bystander and wounding two others.
Ronny L. Jackson met Trump, 78, in Bedminster, New Jersey, after his near-death experience to “personally check on him.” He said: “I’m extremely grateful that they spared his life. It was an absolute miracle that they didn’t kill him.”
Jackson revealed that the Republican candidate had to undergo a CT scan of his head after the bullet severed his ear, and that his injury continues with “intermittent bleeding,” requiring him to keep on the bandage, which has since become a symbol of solidarity among his supporters.
“Initially there was significant bleeding, followed by marked swelling across the entire upper ear. The swelling has subsided and the wound is beginning to granulate and heal properly,” Jackson said in a letter.
He also said the former president will have to undergo additional tests, including a “comprehensive hearing exam.”
The 45th president of the United States was initially treated at Butler Memorial Hospital in Pennsylvania, which Jackson praised for its “exceptional care” and “excellent job in evaluating him and treating his wound.”
“Bottom line, former President Trump is doing well and recovering as expected from the gunshot wound sustained last Saturday afternoon,” Jackson said.
Jackson, who retired from the Navy as a rear admiral last year, was first assigned to the White House medical unit during the administration of former President George W. Bush, then became the president’s physician in 2013 during the administration of Barack Obama.
The doctor will travel to Grand Rapids, Michigan, with Trump and “will remain by his side throughout the weekend to provide any medical assistance he may need.”
Jackson will return to Washington DC on Monday, before returning to Amarillo, Texas, where he lives, later in the week.
Criminals attempted to assassinate Trump as he spoke at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, last Saturday.
He was shot and killed by Secret Service marksmen after their shots grazed Trump’s ear, killing rally attendee Corey Comperatore and wounding another.
Jackson, who retired from the Navy as a rear admiral last year, was first assigned to the White House medical unit under former President George W. Bush, then became the president’s physician in 2013 under President Barack Obama.
Donald Trump’s would-be assassin, Thomas Matthew Crooks
Many of Trump’s supporters have started wearing their own ear bandages in solidarity.
But he gained national fame after effusively praising Trump’s health and “great genes” in 2018, declaring: “I told the president that if he had eaten a healthier diet for the last 20 years, he could live to be 200.”
Shortly afterward, Trump nominated him to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs, but Jackson withdrew his name from consideration following allegations that he had improperly distributed drugs and was sometimes drunk on the job.
During his campaign for Congress, Jackson positioned himself as a close supporter of Trump, backing the narrative that Obama had “weaponized” the government to spy on Trump.
He also broke ranks with public health officials over the coronavirus, saying mask-wearing should be a “personal choice” and questioning Joe Biden’s cognitive ability to run for president.