Ear Bandages Have Replaced MAGA Hats at the 2024 Republican National Convention

The 2024 Republican National Convention has already made headlines for its many notable moments so far, from Peter Navarro's post-prison debut to Trump's granddaughter delivering a speech. However, nothing has gotten the crowd more riled up than when Donald Trump himself took to the stage on night one.

Along with his signature suit and tie, he also donned something notably different: a large, white bandage on his right ear, which is where he was shot during an assassination attempt on July 13. The bandage quickly became more than a medical aide to his supporters — it became a symbol "about political violence not being acceptable in America," one delegate told the Washington Post.

By day two of the convention, hundreds of RNC attendees were seen sporting the makeshift bandages.

"It’s a new sign of unity within the party," said Joe Neglia, a Republican delegate from Arizona, to the Washington Post. "When I saw him come out Monday night — that magical moment — I thought, ‘I have to do something,’ and this is what I could do."

And if you're attending the convention and don't already have your own gauze, tape, and paper, for some reason, you can find other delegates around the convention floor willing to bandage you up for free.

It's unclear how long this fad will last, and whether or not it will peter out by the time the RNC ends or if it will live on as another ubiquitous symbol of Trump's supporters, just like the iconic red MAGA hat.

Social media users had plenty to say about the trend, with some likening it to a cult.

"Why do these copycat ear bandages at the RNC remind me of that scene in Mean Girls when they cut boob holes in Regina George’s shirt and the next day all the girls in school have boob holes in their shirts?" one user asked.

Another sarcastically posted, "Totally not a cult. These are the same people who called anyone who wore a mask during COVID a sheep."