CNN has confirmed that a controversial phrase in a video posted on Donald Trump's social media was a mistake, not a fascist message.
An investigation revealed that the phrase "unified Reich," seen in the aforementioned video, was accidentally included by a Turkish graphic designer, as Breitbart reports.
CNN launched an investigation into a video posted on Donald Trump's Truth Social account that included the controversial phrase "unified Reich." The Trump campaign explained that the inclusion of the phrase in its post was an oversight.
The phrase was placeholder text used by Enes Şimşek, a Turkish graphic designer. Jon Sarlin, a CNN reporter, shared the findings on X, stating, "All signs point to its inclusion being an oversight, not a fascist dog whistle."
The video, reposted by a Trump campaign staffer, went unnoticed while Trump was in court. The phrase came from a vintage video template created by Şimşek in May 2023.
Şimşek had copied the text from a Google search about World War I, not World War II. The specific text "German industrial strength and production had significantly increased after 1871, driven by the creation of a unified Reich" was copied from a Wikipedia entry on World War I.
Şimşek explained that the text was meant to be replaced. However, the Trump campaign reportedly did not notice and took no action to remove it. Approximately 16 copies of the video template were sold for $21 each.
Karoline Leavitt, a Trump campaign spokesperson, said, "This was not a campaign video, it was created by a random account online and reposted by a staffer who clearly did not see the word, while the President was in court." President Joe Biden reacted, saying, "A unified Reich? That’s Hitler’s language. Not America’s. He cares about holding on to power. I care about you."
Şimşek expressed surprise at the impact of his work. "I didn’t know it is my power to change politics…. I don’t know what could be crazier than that. Imagine if your work shakes a country," he said.
The investigation by CNN has clarified the origins and the nature of the phrase. It underscores the importance of vigilance in campaign materials, especially in a highly polarized political climate. The video has sparked significant debate and reactions from various political figures. It highlights the ongoing scrutiny and challenges faced by political campaigns in the digital age.
CNN's investigation into the controversial video posted on Donald Trump's social media account revealed that the phrase "unified Reich" was an accidental inclusion by a Turkish graphic designer.
The Trump campaign explained the oversight, with the phrase having simply been used as placeholder text by Enes Şimşek. The video was reposted by a staffer without noticing the phrase amid Trump's presence in a Manhattan courtroom.
The video was ultimately deleted from Trump's social media account on Tuesday, hopefully bringing the kerfuffle to an end.
