The White House has issued a strong response after Jesse Ventura questioned the 2024 assassination attempt on Donald Trump. During an interview on Piers Morgan Uncensored, the former Minnesota governor and ex-WWE star suggested the shooting at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, was “fake,” even calling it a “blade job” — a wrestling term for deliberately causing bleeding. A surprised Piers Morgan challenged Ventura, asking if he truly believed the incident was staged.

Ventura pointed to what he claimed was a lack of visible scarring on Trump’s ear and questioned the narrative, implying the moment achieved its intended political effect. In response, a White House spokesperson firmly rejected Ventura’s claims, calling the day “tragic” and highlighting the death of Corey Comperatore, a volunteer firefighter who died protecting his family. “President Trump will never forget Corey and his beautiful family,” the statement read, adding that Trump’s life was spared “by a miraculous millimeter.”

The spokesperson concluded: “Only a fool would believe otherwise.” Authorities confirmed that the shooter, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, opened fire from a nearby rooftop using an AR-15–style rifle before being killed by a Secret Service sniper. Two others were seriously injured. The FBI later stated there was no evidence of a cover-up and no clear motive behind the attack.

Officials also revealed that an undetonated explosive device was found in the suspect’s vehicle. Following the incident, misinformation spread widely online, including altered images and false claims. Fact-checkers, including major news outlets and Snopes, debunked theories suggesting the event was staged, finding no evidence to support such claims.