HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Much has been made about the seriousness of former President Donald Trump's injuries sustained in the July 13 attempt of his life at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
It is the commentary around the wound to Trump's ear that appears to be the basis of a claimed "leaked medical report" that has since been shared on numerous social media accounts.
The document claims Trump was "screaming and ranting" and was given a dose of ketamine in order to "shut him up." It also says the diagnosis of his wound was "a small scratch or nick," treated with a "Tiny BandAid [sic] applied to ear at [patient's] insistence," adding that the dressing was "not required."
But is the report genuine? Let's VERIFY.
THE QUESTION
Is the "leaked medical report" about Trump's treatment genuine?
OUR SOURCES
Mark O'Neill with the Pennsylvania Department of Health
Previous reporting on the assassination attempt
X (formerly Twitter) account "GOP Jesus"
THE ANSWER
No, the document was fabricated.
WHAT WE FOUND
Officials with the Pennsylvania Department of Health, the agency listed on the document, have categorically denied its authenticity since its creation days after the assassination attempt. The department's press secretary, Mark O'Neill, told the Agence France-Presse shortly after the image's discovery that "it was not completed by the Pennsylvania Department of Health."
A few items printed on the document throw its authenticity into immediate question. At the top of the page, Trump's next of kin is listed as "Melanie Trump," an obvious misspelling of his wife's name, Melania.
"Cocaine" is also listed under a list of medications the patient is alleged to be taking regularly.
The document is also titled "EMS Transfer of Care Form," which would imply that Trump was delivered to the hospital via an ambulance. However, it has been documented by many media outlets that Trump walked into a local emergency room under his own power after being whisked into a Secret Service vehicle by the agents assigned to protect him.
That would indicate that a genuine "EMS Transfer of Care Form" would not exist for this incident.
A social media account called GOP Jesus has since claimed credit for creating the image after it first went viral. The account's description calls itself "a parody account that reflects the GOP's interpretation of Jesus' will and teachings."
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