Trump Branded ‘Sick Man’ After Posting Brutal Tiger Attack Videos on Truth Social as Critics Express Disgust

Donald Trump has faced criticism after sharing graphic footage of a fatal tiger attack at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster, England, on Truth Social White House Gallery Donald Trump has drawn criticism after sharing footage of the tiger attack that killed William Chapman at Yorkshire Wildlife Park near Doncaster. The US president posted the clip on Truth Social on Tuesday, 13 October, with the caption: ‘Don’t ever mess with nature!’

Chapman died on Saturday, 10 October, after entering the tiger enclosure. The footage Trump shared shows the attack but not Chapman’s death. Trump subsequently posted a separate compilation apparently depicting lion attacks, set to upbeat music.

Journalist Aaron Rupar was among those condemning the posts, calling Trump ‘a sick man’. Chapman’s family has also expressed distress over footage circulating online and appealed for it not to be shared. The available reporting does not establish whether Trump knew about the family’s request when he posted the videos.

Chapman, who was in his twenties, died after entering the enclosure of Altai, an Amur tiger, also known as a Siberian tiger, at the wildlife park.

Emergency services responded at about 1.35pm on Saturday, but Chapman died at the scene. The park was evacuated, and police said the tiger remained inside its enclosure and was not injured.

The Independent reported that Trump shared footage of the attack with his approximately 13 million Truth Social followers. The clip showed Chapman being attacked inside the enclosure but did not show his death.

Trump’s caption did not identify Chapman or explain the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The president later shared a separate compilation apparently showing lions attacking people, accompanied by upbeat music. The authenticity of that footage has not been independently established.

Raw Story described the compilation as appearing to have been generated using artificial intelligence. That assessment remains unverified, and the individual clips should not be treated as confirmed recordings of real incidents.

Rupar criticised the posts on X, writing: ‘If an elderly relative of yours was posting videos like this on Facebook, you’d do a wellness check. The president is a sick man.’

His comment was a reaction to Trump’s decision to share the material, not a medical assessment.

Raw Story reported the criticism as part of the response to the president’s posts. The controversy centred on his decision to circulate graphic footage of a fatal incident, followed by another compilation whose authenticity was unclear.

Trump did not explain why he shared either video beyond the caption accompanying the tiger footage. His reasons for publishing the posts remain unclear.

Chapman’s family described him as a ‘bright, warm and engaging young man whom his family dearly loved’.

They also disclosed that he had experienced significant mental illness over several years. The family’s statement does not establish why he entered the enclosure or whether his health played a role in the incident.

The family expressed distress over the circulation of footage connected to Chapman’s death and appealed for it not to be shared.

The family’s appeal highlights the distress caused by the circulation of the footage among those grieving Chapman’s death. However, the available reporting does not establish whether Trump was aware of the request when he shared the videos.

City of Doncaster Council has launched a health and safety investigation into Chapman’s death, working with other agencies to establish the circumstances.

Yorkshire Wildlife Park said Altai was safe and well and would not be euthanised. Police confirmed that the tiger had remained inside the enclosure during the incident.

The investigation remains ongoing. Neither the circulating footage nor the family’s disclosure about Chapman’s health establishes what led him to enter the enclosure.