Trump doctor disputes suggestion that shrapnel, not bullet, hit his ear

By Tim Reid and Doina Chiacu

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Donald Trump's former White House physician disputed on Friday a suggestion by the FBI director that shrapnel, not a bullet, could have caused the injury to the Republican candidate's right ear during an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania on July 13.

The narrative that a bullet ripped through Trump's ear, and that he escaped death by just a quarter of an inch, has become a major element of his White House campaign. Many of his supporters say the fact he survived was divine intervention, that God is looking after Trump, and Trump mentions his brush with death in his speeches.

"I took a bullet for democracy," Trump told supporters at a rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on July 20.

Ronny Jackson, Trump's doctor when he was in the White House, released a statement a day after Trump criticized FBI Director Christopher Wray for telling U.S. lawmakers this week it was not clear yet whether Trump was hit by a bullet, or shrapnel or glass.

"There is absolutely no evidence that it was anything other than a bullet," wrote Jackson, a close Trump ally. "Director Wray is wrong and inappropriate to suggest anything else."

Jackson, who said he served as a battlefield medic in Iraq and had treated many gunshot wounds in his career, has been monitoring Trump's wounded ear since the assassination attempt.

On Thursday, Trump took to his Truth Social social media account to blast Wray.

"No, it was, unfortunately, a bullet that hit my ear, and hit it hard. There was no glass, there was no shrapnel," Trump wrote, adding: "No wonder the once storied FBI has lost the confidence of America!"

Jason Miller, a Trump campaign spokesperson, told Reuters any claims that Trump was hit by something other than a bullet was "conspiracy bullshit."

(Reporting by Rami Ayyub and Doina Chiacu and Tim Reid; Editing by Ross Colvin and Daniel Wallis)