The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) confirmed on Friday that former President Donald Trump was struck by a bullet or a fragment of one during a recent campaign rally, addressing ongoing speculation about the nature of his injury.

In a statement, the FBI clarified, “What struck former President Trump in the ear was a bullet, whether whole or fragmented into smaller pieces, fired from the deceased subject’s rifle.”

This announcement follows an incident on July 13, where Trump sustained injuries to his right ear, which was reportedly covered in blood after the shooting at a rally in Pennsylvania.

The FBI classified the incident as an assassination attempt, noting that a gunman fired eight shots from outside the event's security perimeter. However, FBI Director Christopher Wray had previously expressed uncertainty about whether the injury was caused by a bullet or shrapnel.

In response to the FBI's latest statement, Trump took to his Truth Social platform, stating, “I assume that’s the best apology that we’ll get from Director Wray, but it is fully accepted!”

Earlier, he shared a letter from his former White House doctor, Ronny Jackson, who asserted that the wound was almost certainly caused by a bullet.

The attack left two attendees seriously injured and resulted in the death of a 50-year-old Pennsylvania firefighter, while the gunman was shot and killed by a US Secret Service sniper.

Since the shooting, Trump has integrated the incident into his campaign narrative, claiming he “took a bullet for democracy” during a rally in Michigan. At the Republican National Convention, he remarked that he had “God on my side” while recounting the attack.

Following the incident, many of Trump’s supporters have begun wearing bandages on their right ears as a symbolic gesture.