Trump’s post-shooting recovery: A potentially long road ahead
Key Takeaways
A gunman killed one and severely injured two people at a Trump rally this past weekend.
The former president sustained an injury to his ear, which did not appear to be severe, according to reports.
People who attended the rally may be experiencing physical and emotional harm in the aftermath of this traumatic event.
A gunman fired several shots at a Trump rally this past Saturday in Butler, PA. The shots killed one and severely injured two others in attendance. One bullet grazed the ear of former President Donald Trump, causing him to be rushed off stage by the Secret Service. Photos and videos show blood rushing down Trump’s face and neck as he raises his fist in the air.
Healing after an assassination attempt
Former President Donald Trump sustained an injury to his right ear during the shooting. He was quickly removed from the stage by the Secret Service. While his physical injury did not appear life-threatening, depending on the specifics, he may face hearing difficulties or require reconstructive surgery in the future.[]
It's also critical that the former President be assessed for any middle ear or potential temporal bone injuries.[]
Dr. Ali Jamehdor, DO, an emergency medicine physician and the medical director of the Weingart Foundation Emergency Department at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California, says that while it is difficult to say exactly what injury Trump sustained, there are a couple plausible diagnoses—with different treatment and recovery timelines.
Two potential injuries the bullet could have caused include a shallow graze wound and a deeper graze wound that has led to a separation of part of the ear, Dr. Jamehdor says. He explains that, if kept properly clean, the first can scab over and heal on its own, while the second tends to require surgical repair.
"The ear itself is difficult to heal because it doesn't have as much blood supply to the cartilage area of the top part." Dr. Jamehdor says. "But, most of the time most people will heal well after a repair."
As for his mental heath, Trump may need extensive intervention to help him process the assassination attempt.
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), it is typical for people to experience a variety of emotions following a traumatic event, such as a shooting.[] Some of these may include:
Anger
Disillusionment
Fear
Grief
Numbness
Shock
Sorrow
In addition, the APA says that survivors may commonly experience trouble with remembering, concentrating, sleeping, or eating.
Shootings may also induce new feelings of fear and paranoia for survivors. According to Everytown Research & Policy, a US gun safety support and research organization, about 33% of gun violence survivors say they live in fear following the incident.[] Everytown reports that more than 44,000 people in the US are killed with guns, and almost 97,000 more are shot and wounded, on a yearly basis.
What is the expected recovery time?
Trump's injuries do not appear to be prohibiting him from engaging in campaign activities or travels. Trump posted on the social media site Truth Social yesterday that he was continuing on to Wisconsin.
“Based on yesterday’s terrible events, I was going to delay my trip to Wisconsin, and The Republican National Convention, by two days, but have just decided that I cannot allow a “shooter,” or potential assassin, to force change to scheduling, or anything else,” Trump wrote.[]
However, it may take time him more time to recover mentally.
How long a person experiences emotional after-effects from a shooting can vary, but the APA says that some of these feelings can pass “after a while.”[] Leaning into support systems—like care from family and friends—may help you process and progress through this difficult time.
In some cases, people who experience gun violence may also later experience post-traumatic growth (PTG), where their resilience from surviving their trauma inspires feelings of strength and increased confidence.[] These traits may then help them get through challenging situations they are currently dealing with or will encounter in the future.
Spectators faced traumatic situation
For the victims in attendance, the shooting has brought physical tragedy, including one death. For victims and bystanders alike, it has the potential to bring mental health impacts and trauma, which may not always hit immediately.
“The gravity of the situation is just hitting me now,”Jim Sweetland, an emergency room physician and attendee at the rally, told CBS News.[]
Dr. Sweetland stated that he stepped in to care for one of the victims, providing CPR and rescue breathing for about two minutes before he was tapped by Pennsylvania state police officers, who carried the victim away. The man was not breathing and had no pulse, Dr. Sweetland added.
He described the scene as “raw,” a quality that differentiated first responder work—which he performed at the rally—from in-hospital treatments. Left with blood on his own face, Dr. Sweetland got emotional when recalling how someone offered him water so that he could take care of himself, too.
What else should you know about the shooting?
The shooting at the Trump rally appears to have been a failed assassination attempt targeting former President Trump. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has yet to identify the shooter’s specific motive, but says that it is investigating the shooting as a “potential act of domestic terrorism” and believes the shooter was acting alone.[]
The suspect, identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, used an AR-style rifle from a rooftop located close to former President Trump’s podium—about 400 feet, or fewer than 150 meters, away.[] Crooks was shot and killed by the Secret Service.