Former President Donald Trump has stirred up a controversy after posting a video on Truth Social, his social media platform that went public on Tuesday and is now trading under the stock ticker DJT. The presumptive Republican nominee published a 20-second video taken on Long Island on Thursday when Trump attended the wake of slain NYPD officer Jonathan Diller, who was fatally shot during a traffic stop on Monday.
The video, published on Friday morning, appears to have been taken from the former President's motorcade and shows two pickup trucks driving on a rainy interstate, adorned with American and Thin Blue Line flags and other "Trump 2024" decor. On the bed of one of the trucks, a life-sized decal depicting President Joe Biden tied up in ropes appears. The driver of this vehicle gives a "thumbs up" gesture through his driver's side window.
Biden campaign spokesman Michael Tyler made a statement about the "type of crap" being posted on Trump's social media account, saying it "threatens democracy." Tyler stated:
This image from Donald Trump is the type of crap you post when you’re calling for a ‘bloodbath’ or when you tell the proud boys to ‘stand back and stand by.’ Trump is regularly inciting political violence and it’s time people take him seriously — just ask the Capitol Police officers who were attacked protecting our democracy on January 6.
In a statement, Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said:
That picture was on the back of a pickup truck that was traveling down the highway. Democrats and crazed lunatics have not only called for despicable violence against President Trump and his family, they are actually weaponizing the justice system against him.
The tragic death of Officer Diller, who leaves behind a wife and one-year-old son, has sparked backlash aimed at several political figures. On Friday, New York Governor Kathy Hochul was confronted soon after arriving at Massapequa Funeral Home on Long Island during the second day of Diller's wake ceremony and asked to leave.
RedState previously reported:
According to law enforcement sources, she was only in attendance for about 10 minutes before she was asked to leave. An individual was heard saying, “Get her outta here,” from inside the crowded funeral home.
On her way to her car, the governor appeared to be confronted by a man in a black suit, who gestured while speaking intensely. Several law enforcement officers waiting outside the funeral home clapped as he walked away.
Video of the tense interaction appeared on social media.
Related:
WATCH: NY Gov Kathy Hochul Asked to Leave Wake of Fallen NYPD Officer
WATCH: Somber Trump Speaks Following Wake for Slain NYPD Officer - Emphasizes Need for Law and Order
Similarly, Vincent J. Vallelong, president of the Sergeants Benevolent Association, penned a strong letter urging City Council members to refrain from attending services. Vallelong wrote, "Their presence is more than a distraction. It is a stain on the legacy of a true hero who made the ultimate sacrifice."
Trump attended Officer Diller's wake on Thursday, visiting with Diller's wife and son before making remarks urging for the restoration of "law and order" in America.
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