Tennis legend Martina Navratilova has expressed skepticism over the necessity of former President Donald Trump’s ear bandage following an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania.
The incident, which occurred during a rally in Butler, PA, on Saturday, left Trump with a visible ear bandage, sparking debate over the severity of his injury.
MSNBC host Ari Melber was among those questioning the need for such a prominent bandage, calling it a “spectacle.” Navratilova joined the conversation, responding to a post on X (formerly Twitter) that questioned the necessity of the dressing.
The post featured a picture of Trump with the ear bandage and included a caption from a user who cited a friend, a charge nurse at a major trauma center, who claimed the bandage was excessive. “She says there’s absolutely no need to dress an ear wound like this, unless half his ear was blown off. And even then, it wouldn’t look like this,” the post read.
Navratilova agreed with the sentiment, suggesting that the bandage was a “PR stunt.” “Of course – this is obviously a PR stunt – the day after the shooting he had no dressing on his ear… not even a band-Aid,” Navratilova tweeted.
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Donald Trump Jr. appeared on “Fox & Friends” on Wednesday, defending his father against claims that the injury was exaggerated. “He wasn’t shot in the face enough for them. It wasn’t enough?” he said. “That’s the point. They can’t help themselves. The Trump Derangement Syndrome is real. It’s so asinine that they could say that … You see the photograph at the time. There’s blood everywhere.”
In a show of solidarity, several delegates at the Republican National Convention (RNC) wore similar bandages. Arizona delegate Joe Neglia explained his gesture: “Yesterday when he came in, and there was that eruption of love in the room, I thought, ‘What can I do to honor the truth? What can I possibly do?’” Neglia told Fox News Digital. “And then I saw the bandage and I thought, ‘I can do that.’ So, I put it on simply to honor Trump and to express sympathy with him and unity with him.”
The RNC featured many Republicans rallying behind Trump, expressing gratitude for his safety following the assassination attempt. The incident has only intensified the already polarized views on Trump, with his supporters staunchly defending him and his critics questioning the narrative around his injury.
