London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 16, 2026

Twitter, Facebook remove doctored toddler video posted by Donald Trump

Twitter and Facebook took down a doctored video posted by President Donald Trump that showed the interaction of two toddlers, one black and one white, after receiving notices that the footage was a copyright violation.
“We received a copyright complaint from the rights holder of this video under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and have removed the post,” said Facebook spokesman Andy Stone.

The video also disappeared from Trump’s Twitter feed, with a notice that “this media has been disabled in response to a report by the copyright owner.”

On Thursday, Twitter labeled the video “manipulated media.” It was edited footage of a video that went viral last year of the two toddlers hugging.

CNN covered the video last year, featuring the two toddlers giving each other hugs. One of the boy’s dads, Michael Cisneros, was quoted as saying, “If it can change someone’s mind, you know, or just change their view on things, then it’s totally worth it.”

But Trump tweeted out a video on Thursday in which the footage was re-edited as part of a broader attack on the media. It at first showed one of the boys chasing the other, with a fake CNN graphic and the chyron, “Terrified todler [sic] runs from racist baby.” Then the rest of the video is shown, to try to make the claim that CNN traffics in “fake news.”

After Trump posted the video, Cisneros posted a message on his Facebook page on Thursday, HE WILL NOT TURN THIS LOVING, BEAUTIFUL VIDEO TO FURTHER HIS HATE AGENDA!! !! !! !!”

CNN also issued a statement on the president’s tweet. “CNN did cover this story – exactly as it happened. Just as we reported your positions on race (and poll numbers). We’ll continue working with facts rather than tweeting fake videos that exploit innocent children. We invite you to do the same. Be better,” the network said in a statement.

Jukin Media said that they filed a takedown notice on behalf of the video’s creator, who was Cisneros. “The video belonged to one of its video partners and that they believed that it was “a clear example of copyright infringement without valid fair use or other defense,” the company said.

Courts have ruled that legal “fair” use of copyrighted material without an owner’s permission depends on a variety of factors, including whether the original clip had been transformed into something with a new meaning.

Meanwhile, at the White House press briefing on Friday, CNN’s chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta had an exchange with Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany over the president’s use of the video.

Acosta asked, “Why is the President sharing fake videos on Twitter about two toddlers who are obviously showing a lot of love for one another? It seems as though he’s exploiting children to make some sort of crass political point. Why is he sharing fake videos?”

She responded, “He was making a point about CNN, specifically. He was making a point that CNN has regularly taken him out of context. That, in 2019, CNN misleadingly aired a clip from one viewpoint repeatedly to falsely accuse the Covington boys of being, quote, ‘students in MAGA gear harassing a Native American elder.’ That’s a harassing video, a misleading video about children that had really grave consequences for their futures.”

Acosta followed up.

“So you’re saying it’s okay to exploit two toddlers hugging one another on a sidewalk to make some sort of political point? The President has described members of the press as ‘fake news’ during the course of this administration. When you share fake videos like that, doesn’t that make you fake news?”

“I think the President was making a satirical point that was quite funny if you go and actually watch the video,” she answered.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Spain in Ecstasy: "We Feel Unbeatable, We Taught the Whole World a Lesson"
Spain and UK Dismantle Gibraltar Border Following Landmark Schengen Integration Treaty
Church of England Rejects Plan to Rewild Thirty Percent of Land by 2030
UK Parliament Examines Future of Gaelic Broadcasting in Scotland
Thames Water Faces Criticism Over Four Million Pounds in Bonus Payments
South East Water Crisis Puts UK Water Regulation Under Renewed Scrutiny
UK Report Highlights Racial Inequality in Homelessness Support Services
UK Government Defends Proposed Social Media Curfew for Teenagers Despite Criticism
Reform UK Gains Recognition as Major Political Party in New Polling
Labour Party Faces Internal Divisions Over Gaza Policy and Asylum Reform
Experts Warn UK Housing and Transport Infrastructure Is Unprepared for Rising Extreme Heat
UK Human Rights Committee Begins Review of Immigration and Asylum Bill
UK Parliament Launches Inquiry Into Declining High Streets Across England
Bank of England Governor Warns of Growing AI Risks to Global Financial Security
UK Public Finance Institutions Mobilize Fifty Billion Pounds to Support Growth and Jobs
UK Parliament Opens Inquiry Into Long-Term Strategy Toward Russia
UK-India Trade Agreement Takes Effect With Zero-Duty Access for Nearly All Indian Exports
Forget Tinder: The Surprising Platform Where People Find Love
UK Government Faces Growing Debate Over Local Control of Immigration Enforcement
UK Biodiversity Forum Highlights Business Need to Protect Natural Environment
UK Parliament to Consider Workplace Temperature Limits Amid Climate Concerns
UK Parliament Considers Independent Immigration Appeals Authority Proposal
BBC Charter Renewal Scrutiny Intensifies as Parliament Reviews Broadcaster’s Future
Parliament Reviews Future of UK Maternity and Neonatal Care Services
UK-India Trade Accelerator Launched to Help Smaller Firms Expand Into Indian Market
UK Business Leaders Meet in Edinburgh to Address Economic Risks From Biodiversity Loss
UK Parliament Prepares for Sir Keir Starmer’s Final Prime Minister’s Questions Before Leadership Transition
Green Party-Led Lewisham Council Moves Against Cooperation With Home Office Immigration Raids
UK Government Faces Parliamentary Pressure Over Capita Contracts in Shared Services Programme
UK Economy Expected to See Modest Growth as OECD Highlights Fiscal and Global Risks
Public Accounts Committee Warns UK Government’s Four Point Three Billion Pound Shared Services Plan Risks Failure
EU and UK Sign Agreement Removing Gibraltar Border Controls After Years of Post-Brexit Uncertainty
OECD Warns UK Must Maintain Fiscal Discipline as Andy Burnham Prepares to Become Prime Minister
UK-India Free Trade Agreement Enters Into Force as Businesses Seek New Growth Opportunities
Harvard Astrophysicist to Lead U.S. Scientific Advisory on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena
On the Island That Did Not Yield to Trump, There Is No Electricity, and 10 Million Live in Darkness
Emergency Sirens Activated Across Bahrain as Interior Ministry Issues Shelter Directives
Key Trends to Watch
United Nations Expert Calls for Full Implementation of Supreme Court Ruling on Legal Definition of Sex
Industry Coalition Urges Labour Lawmakers to Back Continued North Sea Oil and Gas Production
Parliamentary Committee Calls for Tougher Restrictions on Unhealthy Food Advertising
Government Expands Awaab's Law to Cover Heat and Additional Housing Hazards
Energy Regulator Opens Independent Investigation Into National Grid Operator
United Kingdom and European Union Sign Landmark Gibraltar Border Agreement
Chancellor Unveils Financial Services Reform and Artificial Intelligence Strategy at Mansion House
Counterterrorism Police Take Over Investigation Into Killing of Former Minister Ann Widdecombe
Beer Industry Warns UK Rules Could Limit Growth of Alcohol-Free Market
Home Office Faces Legal Challenges Over Asylum Seeker Accommodation Closures
UK Heatwaves Linked to More Than Two Thousand Seven Hundred Deaths as Climate Debate Intensifies
Home Secretary Faces Pressure Over Political Security After Ann Widdecombe Murder Investigation
×