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Trump’s repost of UK tiger attack fuels family distress and public backlash

By Drooid · Oct 14, 2026, 11:05 PM UTC · How we work

The fatal tiger incident at Yorkshire Wildlife Park

On October 10, 23-year-old William Chapman entered the enclosure of the Amur tiger Altai at Yorkshire Wildlife Park near Doncaster. He was bitten and clawed; emergency services pronounced him dead at the scene. Police confirmed he was visiting alone. The park was evacuated and remains closed while the City of Doncaster Council conducts a statutory health-and-safety investigation. An inquest is scheduled to open at Doncaster Coroner’s Court on October 15.

On Tuesday, U.S. The post reached roughly 13 million followers. Hours later he posted an AI-generated video of himself play-fighting a tiger, set to “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” echoing the victim’s finger-pointing gesture.

Yorkshire Wildlife Park confirmed the tiger, Altai, was unharmed and will not be euthanised. South Yorkshire Police asked the public not to share further footage. The City of Doncaster Council announced a health-and-safety inquiry into how Chapman accessed the enclosure. The Born Free Foundation’s executive president, Will Travers, called the AI post “incredibly insensitive” and warned it could encourage risky contact with captive wildlife. The White House referred media inquiries to the Truth Social posts and offered no comment on the controversy.

South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard said the Chapman family had appealed for an end to the circulation of the videos and accused the president of using AI “to mock” the tragedy for “a cheap laugh.” He urged residents not to share the material. Social-media users described the posts as “disgusting” and “sick,” arguing they disrespected a grieving family.

“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,” — Andrew Egger, journalist

“Such images and videos can encourage individuals to seek out direct, unrealistic, and high risk contact with captive wild animals.” — Relatives, of Chapman, in a statement released on Tuesday evening

“The president is posting lion snuff films over on Truth Social.” — Aiden McLaughlin, fair washington correspondent

“They (the Chapman family) spoke to my office yesterday, sharing the pain and suffering it’s causing them knowing that videos and pictures of his death are being shared across social media.” — Mr Coppard, south yorkshire mayor

The incident underscores the intersection of wildlife safety, mental-health considerations, and the growing use of AI-generated content by political figures. Advocacy groups argue that sensationalized animal-attack videos can normalize dangerous behavior around captive wildlife. The family’s request for privacy highlights the tension between viral media cycles and respect for victims’ relatives.

The City of Doncaster Council’s investigation will examine security lapses that allowed Chapman to enter the enclosure. The coroner’s inquest on October 15 will consider whether his prescribed medication and mental-health condition contributed to the fatal decision.