A CNN panel discussion erupted into chaos Thursday night, July 17, after podcast host Touré questioned whether President Donald Trump was actually shot during the assassination attempt at his Butler, Pennsylvania campaign rally in July 2024.

The heated exchange occurred during CNN’s “NewsNight with Abby Phillip” as panelists discussed the White House’s transparency regarding Trump’s health. The conversation began with former Harris campaign spokesperson Adrienne Elrod discussing recent statements about the president’s bruised hands, which White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt attributed to minor soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking and aspirin use.

Touré escalated the discussion by suggesting Trump “supposedly got shot in the ear” and claimed the public never heard from his doctors about the incident. The comment immediately triggered outrage from CNN senior political commentator Scott Jennings, who demanded host Abby Phillip step in to correct the record.

Jennings responded with visible frustration, waving his hands and turning to the moderator for intervention. Conservative commentator Ben Ferguson also joined in pressing back against Touré’s characterization of the assassination attempt. The panel devolved into overlapping arguments as multiple participants attempted to speak simultaneously.

Phillip attempted to restore order to the discussion, telling the panelists to stop screaming so she could respond. She ultimately intervened to state definitively that Trump was shot in the ear during the Butler rally incident.

Despite the host’s correction, Touré persisted in questioning the medical transparency surrounding the incident. He repeatedly asked whether the public had heard from Trump’s doctors about the shooting, continuing to interject even as other panelists attempted to provide responses.

When Phillip asked Jennings about medical documentation of the incident, the commentator referenced attending the Republican National Convention, where Trump wore a bandage on his ear. Jennings also pointed to the visible blood on Trump’s face during the shooting as evidence of the wound’s authenticity.

The July 13, 2024 assassination attempt occurred when gunman Thomas Crooks fired shots at Trump during a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show. The incident was captured on camera in front of a large crowd, with Trump visibly reacting after being struck.

Following the shooting, Rep. Ronny Jackson of Texas, who previously served as Trump’s White House physician, provided medical details about the president’s injuries. Jackson revealed he was monitoring Trump’s health and declared there was no evidence the then-candidate was hit with anything other than a bullet.

According to Jackson’s assessment, Trump sustained a gunshot wound to his ear that came within less than a quarter-inch of entering his head and struck the top of his right ear. The physician documented initial significant bleeding followed by marked swelling of the entire upper ear.

The Trump campaign released an official memo detailing the president’s injuries shortly after the assassination attempt. This documentation provided medical verification of the gunshot wound and its effects on Trump’s condition.

The panel discussion also touched on broader questions about presidential health transparency. Elrod had criticized the current administration for not always being forthcoming about the president’s health, while also noting Trump’s apparent confusion about having appointed Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell in 2017.

The contentious exchange highlighted ongoing tensions between liberal commentators and Trump supporters regarding the documentation and transparency of significant events. Touré’s questioning of the assassination attempt’s medical details drew sharp rebukes from conservative panelists who viewed the incident as unambiguously documented.

Phillip eventually steered the conversation back to the original topic of health transparency, noting that recent medical statements were prompted by visible photographs of Trump’s swollen hands. She characterized the hand condition as benign and related to the normal effects of aging.

The heated panel discussion reflects broader political divisions over media coverage and official documentation of significant events involving the president. The assassination attempt remains one of the most serious security incidents during the 2024 campaign period.