Fact-checking the shattering teleprompter conspiracy theory at Trump rally shooting

Just moments after a gunman fired shots at former President Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally Saturday, conspiracy theories started swirling, many of them related to how the president ended up with a bloody ear.

Widely shared social media posts showed a doctored photo of a shattered teleprompter in support of a theory that it was flying glass that injured the former president, not a bullet.

But, when playing verified footage of the assassination attempt, Scripps News could clearly see the two teleprompters still intact following the gunfire.

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Viewing higher-resolution images from different angles shows both teleprompters, neither of which appears to be damaged.

A couple of hours after the shooting, the former president posted a statement on Truth Social stating a bullet “pierced the upper part of my right ear.”

The Secret Service and FBI have not yet released details about Trump's injury; however, confirmed photos and videos taken the day of the shooting prove the teleprompter theory is false.

And while we wait for more official details, conspiracy theories and misinformation will continue to spread online.

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