Trump shares graphic tiger attack video, sparking backlash

US President Donald Trump sparked controversy on social media after sharing graphic footage of a fatal tiger attack on a man at a British wildlife park.

The decision to distribute the disturbing video to his millions of followers drew sharp reactions, not only for the content itself but for the president's choice to amplify it. Trump later posted a second video featuring similar animal-attack content.

Trump published the video on his Truth Social account Tuesday. The second clip shows the moments of an attack that occurred over the weekend at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, near Doncaster, England. According to reports, the victim was William Chapman, a man in his twenties, who entered the tiger enclosure and was attacked by a Siberian tiger named Altai. He died at the scene despite efforts by emergency medical teams.

The president captioned the video: "Never mess with nature! President Donald J. Trump."

The tiger attack video Trump shared (Photo: Social media)

Trump did not stop with the first video. Shortly afterward, he posted another clip showing a montage of what appeared to be lions attacking people, set to rhythmic music.

Portions of the second video raised suspicions that the content may have been generated using artificial intelligence rather than documenting real incidents.

Reactions came swiftly. According to AFP, users on X questioned the president's judgment and his reasons for sharing such disturbing footage.

Ron Filipkowski, a former federal prosecutor and editor-in-chief at the American news site MeidasTouch, wondered why Trump's account was posting multiple videos of people being attacked by animals. Andrew Egger, a commentator associated with The Bulwark news and commentary site, also questioned why the president was sharing graphic footage of a person being mauled to death by a tiger, adding that he had no answer.

Hours later, Trump shared his own edited version of the video, adding "tiger catcher" to his already extensive résumé.

Trump's post drew criticism even from supporters (Photo: Social media)

Amid the online storm, Chapman's family is coping with their loss and with the circulation of the graphic footage. In a statement, the family described him as a warm, brilliant and vibrant young man whose loved ones are struggling to process his death. Family members asked the public to stop sharing the videos, adding that their circulation is causing severe distress during an especially sensitive time.

The family added that Chapman had struggled for years with significant mental health challenges and was on medication. They emphasized that the official investigation into the circumstances of his death must be allowed to proceed, and that premature conclusions should not be drawn.