The creator of a now-infamous video which depicts Donald Trump body-slamming a man with a CNN logo for a head has apologized, claiming that he did not intend to incite violence against the media. The video was originally posted last week, but received nationwide and international attention over the weekend after President Trump himself shared it via his ever-more-juvenile Twitter feed.
Reddit user "HanAssholeSolo", who claimed credit for the video on Sunday, posted a now-deleted apology which was shared on Twitter by BuzzFeed reporter Brandon Wall. ""I do not advocate violence against the press and the meme I posted was in no way advocating that in any way, shape or form," he wrote. "The meme was created purely as satire, it was not meant to be a call to violence against CNN or any other news affiliation. I had no idea anyone would take it and put sound to it and then have it put up on the President's Twitter feed. It was a prank, nothing more."
The post also addressed HanAssholeSolo's well-documented history of anti-semitic, anti-Muslim and generally bigoted comments on Reddit: "I would like to apologize to the members on the reddit community for getting this site and this sub embroiled in a controversy that should never have happened. I would also like to apologize for the posts made that were racist, bigoted, and anti-semitic. I am in no way this kind of person."
This apology came just a day after CNN identified the individual behind "HanAssholeSolo" and made attempts to contact him, according to its story from Tuesday evening. Though CNN's calls and emails were not answered, his apology appeared shortly afterwards on Reddit, and all of his previous posts were deleted. The apology post was reportedly taken down by "the moderators of /The_Donald subreddit", rather than by the user.
CNN also reports that the user has confirmed his identity, and that it agreed not to reveal his name because "he is a private citizen who has issued an extensive statement of apology" who has "showed his remorse". Still yet to show any remorse for inciting violence against the media? The leader of the free world.
