CNN’s chief medical correspondent is calling for a “public assessment” of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s injuries following the life-threatening incident, arguing that voters have a right to know the results of the medical evaluation.
“A full public assessment of Trump’s injuries is needed to provide clarity about the former president’s health and the recovery of a man who could become president of the United States,” neurosurgeon Dr. Sanjay Gupta wrote in an article Friday.
“The concern is that being shot near the head can cause injuries that aren’t immediately apparent, such as brain hemorrhage, damage to the inner ear, and even psychological trauma.”
A gunman who opened fire at a Trump campaign event in Pennsylvania last week killed one attendee and wounded two others, with the former president saying the bullet “shot” his right ear.
A spokeswoman said immediately after the incident that Trump was “fine,” but Gupta noted that “most of what we know about his injuries comes from photographs, video and secondhand accounts.”
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“It’s not even clear whether he was struck by the rifle’s primary projectile, its secondary projectile, or a combination of the two,” Gupta wrote of the shooting, which prominent Republicans were quick to blame on Democratic political rhetoric.
Despite media reports that President Trump had undergone a CT scan and found nothing alarming, Gupta warned that guns can be incredibly dangerous and cause unseen health problems.
“When that much force is applied to the head, injuries can occur in places you can’t see,” he wrote.
He added that, in response to concerns about President Joe Biden, “Presidents and presidential candidates are not required to share their medical history with the public, but voters told us that the health of our leaders matters in this election.”
“More information helps everyone make better decisions.”
