Fact Check: No, Trump was not shot in chest; viral image shows wrinkle on coat, not bullet hole

Hyderabad: On July 13, 2024, former US president Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

The shooter, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, fired shots from an elevated position outside the venue. Trump sustained an injury to his right ear but was quickly evacuated by the Secret Service. A person attending the rally was killed and two others were critically injured before security forces neutralised the shooter.

In this context, an image purportedly showing a bullet hole in Trump’s coat has been circulating on social media. The accompanying claim suggests that Trump was shot in the chest as well but survived due to a bulletproof jacket he was wearing underneath.

An X user shared the image and wrote, “His head was continuously moving during the speech to ensure a miss by mm accuracy by the best possible shooter even by a 10m rifle. He took one on his chest but Bullet proof jacket saved him.” (Archive)

“The magic of a bulletproof jacket. Trump was shot in the chest but his bulletproof jacket stopped it. (translated from Hindi)” wrote another X user who shared the image. (Archive)

Fact Check

NewsMeter found that the claim is false. The viral image is cropped. The original one shows a wrinkle on the coat of one of the US Secret Service agents surrounding Trump in a protective bubble.

Upon conducting a reverse image search, we found several images, including an uncropped version of the viral one depicting Trump bleeding and surrounded by Secret Service agents. ABC News published these images on Instagram on July 13. The news outlet reported that Trump was rushed off the stage by Secret Service agents after shots were heard. They also mentioned that there appeared to be blood on his right ear.

Upon comparing the viral image with the original one, it is clear that what was claimed to be a bullet hole on Trump’s coat is actually a wrinkle or fold on an agent’s coat surrounding Trump.

ABC News credited the image to photojournalist Evan Vucc of the Associated Press (AP). Taking this cue, we ran a keyword search and found the same image published by the Associated Press on July 14 in a report titled “Amid chaos and gunfire, Trump raised his fist and projected a characteristic image of defiance.”

We also found the image in another AP report titled ‘Trump injured but ‘fine’ after attempted assassination at rally, shooter and one attendee are dead’ published on July 14. The news agency in both reports did not mention Trump being shot in the chest and saved by a bulletproof jacket. However, both reports mention that he was shot in his right ear.

Hence, we conclude that the viral image does not show a bullet hole on Trump's coat. The claim is false.