President Donald Trump CNN Twitter Attack Response

Photo: Olivier Douliery/Bloomberg/Getty Images.

Update: The source of the meme has been discovered. A Reddit user in r/The_Donald has taken credit for creating it, the Washington Post reports. It was uploaded on June 29.

It is still unclear how the meme came to the President's attention.

This story was originally published on July 2, 2017.

As Donald Trump wrestles with the unique challenges of being President of the United States, he also made time this morning to wrestle with CNN on social media.

Around the time most people are having their first cup of coffee in the morning, Trump tweeted a 28-second video of an appearance he made at a World Wrestling Entertainment event. While still a private citizen, Donald Trump would occasionally make appearances at WWE matches. In it, the now-President can be seen beating up a man with a CNN logo superimposed over his face. According to ABC, the video is an edited clip from a 2007 WWE event where Trump body-slammed and punched WWE Chairman Vince McMahon. Shortly after, he retweeted himself on the official @POTUS account.

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#FraudNewsCNN #FNN pic.twitter.com/WYUnHjjUjg
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 2, 2017

CNN had some choice words for President Donald Trump. Rather than write their own response to his direct attack, they let his staff do the talking. They quoted Principal White House Press Secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders. A comment she made only three days ago about Trump's character. In it, she emphatically stated, "The President in no way form or fashion has ever promoted or encouraged violence. If anything, quite the contrary."

"The President in no way form or fashion has ever promoted or encouraged violence. If anything, quite the contrary." - @SHSanders45 6/29/17
— CNN Communications (@CNNPR) July 2, 2017

According to CNN, a version of this video began circulating on a pro-Trump Subreddit several days ago. Donald Trump sharing the edited video came after a series of escalating tweets attempting to vilify the media.

The FAKE & FRAUDULENT NEWS MEDIA is working hard to convince Republicans and others I should not use social media - but remember, I won....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 1, 2017

....the 2016 election with interviews, speeches and social media. I had to beat #FakeNews, and did. We will continue to WIN!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 1, 2017

I am thinking about changing the name #FakeNews CNN to #FraudNewsCNN!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 1, 2017

CNN's Senior Media Correspondent Brian Stelter shared CNN's official statement in response Trump's tweet.

CNN statement responding to the president: "We will keep doing our jobs. He should start doing his." pic.twitter.com/Gn1YRA2DRG
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) July 2, 2017

Also quick to respond to the exchange was House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi who called for a rejection of bullying the press. Instead, she hoped people would choose the impending holiday to "celebrate freedom of the press" calling them "guardians of our democracy."

Violence & violent imagery to bully the press must be rejected. This #July4th, celebrate freedom of the press, guardians to our democracy
— Nancy Pelosi (@NancyPelosi) July 2, 2017

After an escalation his one-sided feud with MSNBC's Morning Joe co-hosts, Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, Trump took some time last night to tweet in an attempt to justify his use of social media calling it, "modern day presidential."

My use of social media is not Presidential - it’s MODERN DAY PRESIDENTIAL. Make America Great Again!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 1, 2017