A CNN panel devolved into shouting Thursday night after podcast host Touré questioned whether President Donald Trump was actually shot during a July 2024 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The exchange took place on CNN’s “NewsNight” during a discussion about transparency from the White House regarding Trump’s health.
Tensions escalated when Touré referred to the incident at the Butler rally by saying, “He supposedly got shot in the ear. We never heard from his doctors about that.”
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The statement drew an immediate response from CNN senior political commentator Scott Jennings, who appeared visibly stunned.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Uh-uh!” Jennings said, waving his hands and turning to host Abby Phillip. “Did you say ‘supposedly?’ Abby, Abby.”
Touré continued to press the issue, raising his voice and demanding to know when the public had heard directly from Trump’s doctors.
“When did we hear from his doctors? When did we hear from his doctors?” he asked.
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Phillip attempted to regain control of the conversation. “Hold on. If you all stop screaming at the table, maybe I can actually respond,” she said.
The panel discussion followed the release of an official statement from the White House earlier Thursday addressing concerns about the president’s current health.
Former Harris campaign spokesperson Adrienne Elrod had referenced the statement, which noted that Trump underwent a full medical examination after recent photos showed discoloration on his hands and swollen ankles.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed during a press briefing that diagnostic vascular studies, including bilateral lower extremity venous Doppler ultrasounds, had been conducted. The results indicated that Trump has chronic venous insufficiency, described by Leavitt as “a benign and common condition, particularly in individuals over the age of 70.”
JUST IN: President Trump has been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, following reports of swelling in the President’s legs, per Karoline Leavitt
Luckily, it’s nothing serious.
THIS IS HOW IT SHOULD BE HANDLED. NOT covered up like Joe Biden’s illnesses!
“An… pic.twitter.com/Kw2tSxxAWK
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) July 17, 2025
Despite the White House disclosure, Touré returned the conversation to last year’s assassination attempt.
The would-be assassin, Thomas Matthew Crooks, opened fire at the rally on July 13, 2024.
Trump was struck in the right ear, an incident that occurred on live television and in front of thousands of supporters.
Former White House physician and Congressman Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, stated shortly after the incident that he had been monitoring Trump’s health.
“There is absolutely no evidence that he was hit with anything other than a bullet,” Jackson said at the time.
As the discussion continued, Phillip attempted to clarify.
“Touré, he was shot in the ear,” she said, trying to move the segment forward.
Touré pushed back again. “But can we hear from the doctors? We would always hear from his doctors when he gets shot?” he asked.
Phillip then deferred the question to Jennings, who responded by referencing the visible evidence of Trump’s injury.
“I mean, all I know is, I went to the Republican National Convention and he had a bandage on his ear,” he said.
Touré continued to speak over Jennings, repeating, “That would be ‘no.’ That would be ‘no.’ That would be ‘no.’”
Conservative commentator Ben Ferguson also tried to weigh in, but the host had to step in to quiet the panel as the conversation grew increasingly unproductive.
UNHINGED: Touré on CNN last night: President Trump “supposedly got shot in the ear.”@ScottJenningsKY: “Woah, woah, woah. Did you say ‘supposedly’?”@benfergusonshow: “Supposedly, that’s where we are now.”
Abby Phillip: “Touré, he was shot in the ear.”
This is where the… pic.twitter.com/0aSOeVPtg4
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) July 18, 2025
The exchange highlighted ongoing political tensions surrounding media coverage of the president’s health and the response to the assassination attempt that took place just over a year ago.
Trump survived the July 2024 shooting with a minor injury and resumed campaign activities shortly afterward.
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