Jesse Ventura, a former WWE star and Minnesota governor, raised questions about a key detail of the assassination attempt of Donald Trump as he suggested it was 'fake' in an interview with Piers Morgan.
Ventura is no stranger to conspiracy theories, having previously hosted an entire TV series titled Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura, but he still managed to leave Morgan stunned when he branded the near-death of the POTUS as a 'blade job'.
A 'blade job' is when a wrestler purposefully makes themselves bleed, often using a blade, to make it appear as if they've suffered some serious injuries by their opponent and to help the whole scene look more dramatic.
In WWE, it's intended for entertainment, but Ventura suggested the term also applied to the shooting which took place at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July 2024.
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Trump had been speaking to a crowd at the rally when he was struck by a bullet, which sliced along his ear as he turned to look at a chart displayed next to him on the stage. The gunshots caused a flurry of activity from the Secret Service, with Trump ducking down behind the lectern.
He later showed up in Wisconsin with a bandage on his ear.
During his chat with Ventura on Piers Morgan Uncensored, the host noted how Trump 'got back up' and appeared defiant after the attack, but Ventura appeared to scoff at the idea, saying: "Oh yeah right, right, right, you ever heard of a blade job?"
When pushed on whether he thought the assassination attempt was 'fake', Ventura continued: "I don't know, where's his scar today?"
Ventura's theory echoes other unfounded conspiracies that emerged following the shooting, with internet users alleging the attack was 'staged' and claiming the president used a 'blood pill' to make his ear bleed.
In response to Ventura's claim, Morgan went on to point out that a former volunteer fire chief who had been near Trump at the rally died as a result of the shooting, to which Ventura said: "I don't know, come on Piers, you're going to tell me this guy's a big hero now?"
When Morgan expressed belief he was 'on that day', Ventura hit back with a scathing response, saying: "Then he accomplished what he wanted out of you guys."
Morgan went on to ask Ventura what he'd say to Trump if he had the chance to speak to him, but the former WWE star said he'd 'prefer not' to speak with the POTUS, claiming: "He has no courage. He never has. There's always one guy who will start the fight, and then hold your coat. That's Donald Trump."
UNILAD has reached out to the White House for comment.
Fact check: Donald Trump assassination attempt theories
Following the attempted assassination of Trump in Pennsylvania, several fake claims, conspiracy theories, and manipulated images began circulating on social media.
One such claim involved a photo on Threads that was altered to make the Secret Service members appear to be smiling. The caption read: "Why are the secret service smiling? STAGED."
The image also spread around on other platforms, like X.
However, the image had been edited, with many news outlets, like the BBC and Reuters, showing that the original picture, taken by Associated Press photographer Evan Vucci, doesn't show them smiling.
Meanwhile, Snopes also debunked an online theory surrounding quotes attributed to a supposed retired police detective about Trump allegedly using a 'blood capsule' to create the splatter on his ear, of which there is no evidence to support this claim.
Trump has previously spoken about the moment he was shot at, saying the bullet pierced the upper part of his ear and that he 'knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin'.
Topics: Donald Trump, Piers Morgan, WWE, Politics, US News
Emily Brown