Donald Trump’s fascination with AI-generated content has drawn criticism in recent months for depicting himself as Jesus, Atlas, and the Pope, but none of those instances turned MAGA supporters against him.
That changed on Tuesday, October 13, when the US president shared a fabricated video showing himself tackling a tiger, leading many to believe it was mocking William Chapman, a 23-year-old British man who lost his life after being attacked by a big cat over the weekend.
Highlights
- William Chapman’s family condemned the circulation of what they called “deeply offensive media” after Trump shared an AI-generated tiger video.
- The family revealed Chapman had struggled with significant mental illness and had been prescribed strong medication.
- Yorkshire Wildlife Park confirmed Altai would not be euthanized as authorities launched a health and safety investigation into the incident.
“I voted for you but not for this. Why is no one advising him against such theatrics?” one person asked.
As backlash mounted over the perceived insensitivity of the clip, Chapman’s family also spoke out, urging those sharing what they described as “deeply offensive media” to refrain from doing so.
Family of man mauled by tiger breaks silence after Trump shares AI video depicting himself with the animal
The video Trump posted on social media showed a lush green lawn resembling the setting where Chapman confronted the endangered Siberian tiger, Altai, after entering the restricted enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster on October 10.
He then appeared to overpower the animal and bring it to the ground before flashing a toothy smile at the camera.
The song The Lion Sleeps Tonight played in the background.
Mere minutes after the upload, Chapman’s family said in a statement, “The publication and circulation of deeply offensive media content is causing severe distress at an exceptionally vulnerable time.”
“We ask people to stop doing this,” they added.
Inexplicably, Trump’s AI-generated clip came after he shared the original footage of Chapman’s encounter with the tiger, captioned “Don’t ever mess with nature.”
William Chapman’s family also addressed rumors about his mental health in their statement
Chapman’s actions at the Yorkshire Wildlife Park involved more than simply breaching the tiger enclosure.
According to eyewitnesses, he was seen dancing “erratically” and appeared to be “in a trance, not in reality at all” before taking the fatal step.
While Chapman’s family neither confirmed nor denied these claims, they told the press that he “suffered from significant mental illness” and had consequently been “prescribed strong medication.”
“The family are hopeful that the relevant authorities will do their utmost to get to the bottom of why our amazing son did what he did,” they added.
Elsewhere in their statement, they remembered Chapman as “a bright, warm and engaging young man” who was “dearly loved.”
A woman with two children reportedly tried to stop Chapman from entering the tiger habitat
Scarlet Hogan, a pharmacy worker, was visiting Yorkshire Wildlife Park with her partner, Anthony Hunt, when the incident occurred.
The couple, in a Sunday interview with The Telegraph, said Chapman asked a woman to take his picture alongside the tiger, and she agreed to help.
However, they soon saw the woman trying to pull him back as he tried to climb over the barrier around the tiger.
Despite her efforts, he “overpowered her and jumped off.”
“She seemed really frightened,” Hunt recalled. “We spoke to her after, and she was like, ‘I tried to pull him back,’ but I guess she didn’t want to risk her own life as well.”
Animal rangers at the park discharged firearms at the ground in an attempt to deter the tiger, but their efforts were unsuccessful.
Chapman was pronounced deceased at the scene when emergency medical personnel arrived.
Yorkshire Wildlife Park officials confirmed Altai’s fate following the fatal attack
Chapman’s encounter with Altai sparked widespread debate online.
While many blamed him for what happened, others argued that park authorities should have “fired at the tiger to save him.”
On October 11, Yorkshire Wildlife Park confirmed that Altai was “safe and well” and would not be euthanized.
Charlotte Pywell, who worked at the park, welcomed the decision.
“I don’t know who the guy was or what made him jump. It was not the tiger’s fault at all. It was something else to play with,” she said.
Doncaster City Council has ordered a health and safety investigation into the incident under statutory regulations.
"It's awful that the video was shared," a netizen said
