Trump's AI Tiger Video Draws Backlash After President Shares Footage of Fatal Attack at Yorkshire Wildlife Park

US President Donald Trump has faced criticism after sharing an AI-generated video of himself grappling with a tiger, hours after posting footage of a fatal tiger attack at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in England. The posts drew criticism amid an appeal from the family of 23-year-old William Chapman to stop circulating distressing footage of the incident.

Trump shared the original footage on his Truth Social account on Tuesday, 13 October, with the caption, 'Don't ever mess with nature! President DJT.' The clip showed an Amur tiger attacking Chapman inside its enclosure but did not depict his death, according to The Independent. On Wednesday morning, Trump posted an AI-generated video showing himself grappling with a tiger before hugging the animal.

Trump's AI Video Recreates the Fatal Tiger Encounter

The AI-generated footage shows Trump in his signature navy suit and long red tie, lying on the ground and pointing towards a tiger, drawing comparisons with the animal involved in the fatal incident. In the clip, the tiger approaches Trump before the president gets to his feet and chases the animal across the enclosure. He then dives onto its back as the two tumble across the grass.

The clip reportedly ends with Trump embracing the tiger and smiling at the camera. A slow-motion replay follows, while the song 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight,' performed by Tight Fit, plays in the background, according to The Sun.

Social Media Users Question the President's Posts

Trump's AI video prompted criticism across social media, with critics questioning the decision to turn a real-life tragedy into an apparently humorous clip. The Republicans against Trump account on X responded, 'Someone take Grandpa's phone away.'

Political commentator Brian Krassenstein speculated that the posts were intended to distract from other issues, writing, 'You know that Trump really wants to distract from reality when he starts posting pictures of men getting eaten by tigers, rather than election poll numbers.'

Journalist Andrew Egger also questioned why the president had shared the original footage. 'Why is Donald Trump posting grisly video footage of a person getting mauled to death by a tiger in the UK this weekend? Your guess is as good as mine,' Egger wrote on X.

Family of Man Killed in Tiger Attack Urges Public to Stop Sharing Footage

Chapman died on Saturday, 10 October, after entering the enclosure of an Amur tiger named Altai at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster. South Yorkshire Police said emergency services attended, but Chapman was pronounced dead at the scene.

Chapman reportedly posed for photos with the five-year-old tiger in the background before filming himself approaching it. Reports say he climbed over a viewing barrier and entered the enclosure, where he was heard telling the tiger to 'stop being naughty'. One witness described the tiger's eyes locking on to something in the enclosure before the attack. A witness also reportedly saw Chapman 'dancing erratically' when he arrived at the park earlier that day.

In a statement released on Tuesday, his family described him as a 'bright, warm, and engaging young man' whom they loved dearly. His family said Chapman had suffered from 'significant mental illness over a number of years' and had consequently been prescribed 'strong medication'.

Chapman's family also said the circulation of 'deeply offensive media content is causing them severe distress.' Similarly, the South Yorkshire Police also urged social media users not to share footage of the attack. The force said the tiger remained inside its enclosure following the incident and posed no wider risk to the public. City of Doncaster Council has launched a health and safety investigation, while Yorkshire Wildlife Park said it was working closely with the relevant authorities to establish what happened.