Why was acclaimed photojournalist Pete Souza’s Twitter account suspended for showing a picture of Donald Trump’s ear?

Elon Musk‘s “free speech” X regime was tested when acclaimed photojournalist Pete Souza shared an AP photo from July 27 of Donald Trump’s ear without bandages. Souza’s X account (formerly Twitter) was subsequently suspended, and reports now say Souza’s account appears deactivated.

Trump’s ear was hit in a July 12 assassination attempt in Pennsylvania. Attendee Corey Comperatore died, and other audience members were injured in the attack. The shooter was shot and killed at the scene. Meanwhile, Trump has frequently stated he was hit in the ear by an AR-15 bullet, stating he “took a bullet for democracy.”

But not long before Souza shared the AP photo taken by Alex Brandon, FBI Director Christopher Wray told the House Judiciary Committee, under oath, ” … [T]here’s some question about whether or not it’s a bullet or shrapnel that, you know, hit his ear.” The investigation, however, was ongoing, Wray added.

The FBI later confirmed a bullet hit Trump in a statement, ” … whether whole or fragmented into smaller pieces, fired from the deceased subject’s rifle,” the agency said.

Trump’s ear did not appear injured

Pete Souza’s post is no longer available. Screenshots show Souza’s caption, “AP photo this morning. Look closely at his ear that was ‘hit’ by a bullet from a AR-15 assault rifle [sic].” After Souza, who served as White House photographer for Reagan and Obama, shared the post, his account was suspended. His account now seems to have been deactivated, Newsweek reported.

As of this writing, X, Musk, and Souza have not made any statements clarifying what happened to Souza’s account, and it’s unclear if Souza’s account was suspended and deactivated because he shared the photo. The timing, however, calls into question Elon Musk’s frequently stated aims to limit restrictions on X and to stop censorship of free speech.

Others besides Souza have questioned what caused Trump’s injuries. In a comment, someone wrote, “100% confirms that he took no bullet and that he’s covering it up.” Regarding Trump’s injury, Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX) wrote in a letter that whatever hit Trump caused, “significant bleeding, followed by marked swelling of the entire upper ear.” However, “given the broad and blunt nature of the wound itself, no sutures were required,” Jackson added.