US President Donald Trump is under fire for sharing footage of a fatal tiger attack and then posting an AI-generated video mocking the incident, after a 23-year-old man was killed by a tiger at a wildlife park in the United Kingdom. The response from the president, made to his 13 million Truth Social followers, has drawn widespread condemnation from the victim's family, regional political leaders and the public.
William Chapman died after entering a tiger's enclosure at the Yorkshire Wildlife Park over the weekend. Video of the attack began circulating widely online in the days that followed, sparking distress among Chapman's family and prompting police to ask people not to share the footage.
Trump shares attack footage, then posts AI video of himself with the tiger
Trump reshared video of the attack on Truth Social, captioning it with: "Don't ever mess with nature! President DJT." The post reached his millions of followers and was subsequently reshared by the Official White House Rapid Response account, amplifying the footage further and drawing a fresh wave of criticism.
Later the same day that Chapman's family released a public statement asking people to stop circulating the footage, Trump posted another video featuring multiple clips of people being attacked by lions. He then went further, sharing an AI-generated video depicting himself wrestling and embracing the tiger responsible for Chapman's death, set to the song The Lion Sleeps Tonight.
The family's statement described the ongoing recirculation of the videos as "deeply offensive," saying it was "causing severe distress at an exceptionally vulnerable time." The family also revealed that Chapman had been living with a significant mental illness for a number of years before his death.
"William was a bright, warm and engaging young man whom his family dearly loved, and William loved them back," the statement read.
Political and public condemnation mounts
South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard was among the most prominent voices to condemn the president's actions. Coppard said Chapman's family had contacted his office directly to share the pain and suffering caused by the ongoing circulation of images and video of their son's death.
"The President of the United States now using AI to mock that incident and the pain felt by the family of Mr Chapman, for little more than a cheap laugh on social media, should be greeted with the contempt it deserves," Coppard said. He pleaded with people not to add to the family's pain by continuing to share the footage.
The response on social media was overwhelmingly critical of Trump. Users described the president as showing "no empathy" and "no compassion," with several calling for him to be "ashamed." One commenter called him an "absolute monster" with "no moral compass." Another directed at the White House Rapid Response account: "You're literally posting a video of a man being killed. Have you any shame at all?"
UK broadcaster Piers Morgan also weighed in, posting a blunt response on social media: "This is appallingly tasteless. Delete it."
Police ask public to stop sharing fatal footage
UK police confirmed they are aware of footage of the fatal tiger mauling circulating online and have formally asked the public not to share it. The request has so far done little to stop the spread of the material, with Trump's posts having given it significant renewed reach.
The incident has added to a turbulent period in 2026 in the United States, during which Trump's social media behaviour has repeatedly attracted international scrutiny. Critics argue the AI-generated video in particular crossed a clear ethical line, using the specific animal that killed a grieving family's son as a prop for the president's own entertainment.
Chapman's family has not publicly responded to the AI video. Their statement remains focused on a single plea: that people stop sharing footage of William's death and allow them to grieve in private.
