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Violent Video Was Product of Right-Wing Provocateurs and Trump Allies Violent Video Was Product of Right-Wing Provocateurs and Trump Allies
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WASHINGTON — The creator of a gruesome video that showed a fake President Trump killing journalists and political opponents and that was played at a meeting of a pro-Trump group over the weekend is part of a loose network of right-wing provocateurs with a direct line to the White House. WASHINGTON — The creator of a gruesome video that showed a fake President Trump killing journalists and political opponents and that was played at a meeting of a pro-Trump group over the weekend is part of a loose network of right-wing provocateurs with a direct line to the White House.
The unidentified creator of the video operates under the name “The GeekzTeam” and has proclaimed on Twitter to be a “red blooded American with ZERO tolerance for the liberal agenda.” Like many such amateur agitators, the GeekzTeam specializes in creating pro-Trump internet content, often by remixing the president’s image into clips from popular movies and television shows. The unidentified creator of the video operates under the name of “The GeekzTeam” and has proclaimed on Twitter to be a “red blooded American with ZERO tolerance for the liberal agenda.” Like many in the online group, the person specializes in creating pro-Trump internet content, often by remixing the president’s image into clips from popular movies and television shows.
Another of the provocateurs, Logan Cook, who often has posted videos on MemeWorld, his website, participated in a social media summit at the White House in July and took his children to meet the president in the Oval Office, accompanied by Dan Scavino, the White House social media director. Another of the provocateurs, Logan Cook, who often has posted the videos on MemeWorld, his website, participated in a social media summit at the White House in July and took his children to meet the president in the Oval Office, accompanied by Dan Scavino, the White House social media director.
The connections underscore how the president’s escalating war on what he calls the “fake news” media has elevated people from the far-right fringe into presidential allies who defend him with extreme language and images. The connections underscore how the president’s escalating war on what he calls the “fake news” media has elevated people from the far-right fringe into allies who defend Mr. Trump with extreme language and images.
The president did not mention the video on Monday in the blizzard of tweets he sent out wishing a former press secretary good luck on “Dancing with the Stars,” defending his recent decisions on Syria and attacking Democrats for their impeachment inquiry. The president did not mention the video on Monday in the blizzard of Tweets he sent out wishing his former press secretary good luck on “Dancing with the Stars,” defending his recent decisions on Syria and attacking Democrats for their impeachment inquiry. But Stephanie Grisham, the White House press secretary, said Mr. Trump condemned the video. It was shown at a meeting of American Priority, a pro-Trump group, celebrating free speech at Trump National Doral Miami, which he owns.
But Stephanie Grisham, the White House press secretary, said Mr. Trump condemned the video. It was shown at a meeting of American Priority, a pro-Trump organization, celebrating “free speech, free association and American culture” for hundreds of attendees at Trump National Doral Miami, a golf resort that he owns. Many of the Trump supporters who attended — including Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, the former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Donald Trump Jr., the president’s son — said they did not condone the violence portrayed in the video and were not aware that it had played on a loop in a conference room next to the Donald J. Trump Ballroom at the resort.
Three headliners of the event — Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, the former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Donald Trump Jr., the president’s son — said they did not condone the violence portrayed and were not aware that the video had played on a loop in a conference room next to the resort’s Donald J. Trump Ballroom. Two small television screens were set up in the conference room, where people filtered in and out. The video was projected against a wall, according to one person who attended and shared a photo. The goal of the online community that makes and shares grisly videos like this is to use what are known as “spicy memes” to fire up the president’s base online, stir outrage among his opponents and provoke coverage by the mainstream media, which often helps amplify the messages.
The online community that makes and shares grisly videos like this one uses what it calls “spicy memes” to fire up the president’s base, stir outrage among his opponents and provoke coverage by the mainstream media, which often helps amplify the messages. Some of these meme-makers make money from their creations by soliciting donations or running ads on YouTube. (Data from SocialBlade, a website that tracks social media statistics, estimates that TheGeekzTeam has earned less than $2,000 from his or her channel over the past year.) Others do it purely for the notoriety — or, best of all, an approving retweet from the president.
Some of these meme-makers profit by soliciting donations or running ads on YouTube. (Data from SocialBlade, a website that tracks social media statistics, estimates that the GeekzTeam has earned less than $2,000 from the channel over the past year.) Others do it purely for the notoriety — or, best of all, an approving retweet from the president. TheGeekzTeam has been a prolific meme-maker for several years, posting videos with titles like “Captain MAGA” and “Trump: The Punisher” to YouTube and to r/the_donald, a large pro-Trump forum on Reddit. The video shown at the American Priority meeting was first posted on YouTube in July 2018.
The GeekzTeam has been a prolific meme-maker for several years, posting videos with titles like “Captain MAGA” and “Trump: The Punisher” to YouTube and to r/the_donald, a large pro-Trump forum on Reddit. The video shown at the American Priority meeting was first posted on YouTube in July 2018. Earlier this year, the account began contributing to MemeWorld, a centralized meme repository organized by Mr. Cook, who goes by the name “Carpe Donktum” online.
Earlier this year, the account began contributing to MemeWorld, a centralized meme repository organized by Mr. Cook, who goes by the name “Carpe Donktum” online.
Mr. Cook’s website acts as a clearinghouse for offensive memes and videos, allowing users to post homemade videos that often depict Mr. Trump as a crusader or superhero who uses violence to suppress news outlets, individual journalists and political opponents.Mr. Cook’s website acts as a clearinghouse for offensive memes and videos, allowing users to post homemade videos that often depict Mr. Trump as a crusader or superhero who uses violence to suppress news outlets, individual journalists and political opponents.
On Monday, Mr. Cook’s site posted a statement disavowing political violence while defending The GeekzTeam, saying that the video showing Mr. Trump shooting, stabbing and punching his foes was “clearly satirical.” On Monday, Mr. Cook’s site posted a statement disavowing political violence while defending TheGeekzTeam, saying that the video showing Mr. Trump shooting, stabbing and punching his foes was “clearly satirical.”
Mr. Cook’s own videos, as well as his one-stop shop of a website, have become a go-to resource for Mr. Scavino, who often shares items with Mr. Trump. In April, Mr. Cook landed in the center of a controversy over a doctored version of a video in which former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. addressed his interactions with women. Mr. Cook’s own videos, as well as his one-stop shop of a website, has become a go-to resource for Mr. Scavino, who often shares the video with Mr. Trump. In April, Mr. Cook landed in the center of a controversy over a doctored version of a video in which former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. addressed his interactions with women.
In the doctored video, a cartoon version of Mr. Biden appears to be nuzzling the back of his own head. Mr. Trump shared the video with his 60 million followers on Twitter at the time. In the doctored video, a cartoon version of Mr. Biden appears to be nuzzling the back of his head. Mr. Trump shared the video with his 60 million followers on Twitter at the time.
“Trolls in the White House,” Mr. Cook wrote in a photo on his Instagram account on July 11, describing his family greeting Mr. Trump in the Oval Office. “Trolls in the White House,” Mr. Cook wrote in a photo he shared to his personal Instagram account on July 11, the day of the summit. Days earlier, he shared photos to his personal Instagram page of his family greeting Mr. Trump in the Oval Office as Mr. Scavino watched.
At the White House social media meeting, which honored pro-Trump meme-makers and other members of the far-right ecosystem, Mr. Trump praised a room full of content creators as people who had worked with Mr. Scavino on ideas that ultimately saved him money on advertising.At the White House social media meeting, which honored pro-Trump meme-makers and other members of the far-right ecosystem, Mr. Trump praised a room full of content creators as people who had worked with Mr. Scavino on ideas that ultimately saved him money on advertising.
“He’ll come up with ideas, and you’ll come up with ideas,” Mr. Trump said of Mr. Scavino and the attendees. “And he’ll run into my office. He said, ‘You got to see this.’”“He’ll come up with ideas, and you’ll come up with ideas,” Mr. Trump said of Mr. Scavino and the attendees. “And he’ll run into my office. He said, ‘You got to see this.’”
Mr. Trump added, “Some of you are extraordinary. I can’t say everybody, but some of you are extraordinary. The crap you think of is unbelievable.” Addressing the group, Mr. Trump added, “Some of you are extraordinary. I can’t say everybody, but some of you are extraordinary.”
A White House spokesman did not respond to a request for comment about why Mr. Cook was invited to the White House social media meeting in the first place. A White House spokesman did not respond to a request for comment about why Mr. Cook was invited to participate in the White House social media meeting in the first place.
Tracing the origins of the video shown over the weekend illustrates the often-complicated origins of modern political messaging. The graphic doctored footage was taken from the 2014 movie “Kingsman: The Secret Service,” and showed the actor Colin Firth in a massacre at a fundamentalist church. Tracing the origins of the video shown over the weekend illustrates the often-complicated origins of “spicy memes.” The video was taken from the 2014 movie “Kingsman: The Secret Service,” and showed the actor Colin Firth in a gory church massacre scene. In the movie, the people killed are members of a fundamentalist church.
In an earlier online iteration the target was one news organization: CNN. Mr. Trump’s head was superimposed on Mr. Firth’s body, but all the people punched, shot and stabbed had CNN logos covering their faces. In an earlier online iteration the target was just one news organization: CNN. Mr. Trump’s head was superimposed on Mr. Firth’s body but all the people punched, shot, and stabbed had CNN logos covering their faces.
“You are fake news,” Mr. Trump said as he pointed a gun at a woman with the logo for a face. “You are fake news,” Mr. Trump said as he pointed a gun at a woman with the logo The creator of that original video, Andres Hughes, said online that he made the video and submitted it to a meme contest run by the right-wing website Infowars three years ago, hoping to win a $20,000 prize.
The creator of that original video, Andres Hughes, said online that he submitted it to a meme contest run by the right-wing website Infowars three years ago, hoping to win a $20,000 prize. But in July 2018, the doctored film clip was further altered to include new targets. Other news organizations, like PBS, NPR, Politico and The Washington Post, were added to the mix.
But in July 2018, the doctored film clip was further altered to include new targets. News organizations like PBS, NPR, Politico and The Washington Post were added to the mix. Mr. Trump was also depicted killing and maiming political enemies like Representative Maxine Waters of California, Senator John McCain of Arizona, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, as well as Hillary Clinton and others.
Mr. Trump was also depicted killing and maiming political enemies like Representative Maxine Waters of California; Senator John McCain of Arizona, who died last year; Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont; former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton; as well as Hillary Clinton and others. The video, which had fewer than 1,000 views on YouTube as of Sunday night, had clocked nearly 200,000 views by midday Monday. On Sunday, TheGeekzTeam appeared to celebrate the video’s success, posting a new video on Twitter that showed CNN’s logo exploding after coming into contact with the phrase “Trump memes.”
The video, which had fewer than 1,000 views on YouTube as of Sunday night, had clocked nearly 200,000 by midday Monday but was removed from the site a few hours later because of a copyright complaint. On Sunday, the GeekzTeam appeared to celebrate the video’s success, posting a new one on Twitter that showed CNN’s logo exploding after coming into contact with the phrase “Trump memes.” An email to an address listed on the creator’s YouTube channel was not immediately returned. American Priority denounced the video shown at its event as not “approved, seen or sanctioned” by the organizers and denounced violence of any kind. But the group’s founder, Alex Phillips, has his own longstanding relationship with Mr. Cook, and in the past has supported his work online.
An email to an address listed on the creator’s YouTube channel was not immediately returned. American Priority denounced the video shown at its event as not “approved, seen or sanctioned” by the organizers and condemned violence of any kind. But the group’s founder, Alex Phillips, has his own longstanding relationship with Mr. Cook, and has supported his work online. In a video posted to Facebook in June, Mr. Phillips and Mr. Cook played down the idea that such content can foment hate and violence. “As far as I’m concerned, hate speech is a made-up word,” Mr. Cook says in the video. “You can’t cause violence with words.”
In a video posted to Facebook in June, Mr. Phillips and Mr. Cook played down the idea that such content can foment hate and violence. “Hate speech is a made-up word,” Mr. Cook says in the video. “You can’t cause violence with words.”
Mr. Phillips said he agreed. “The truth hurts sometimes,” he responds. “Deal with it.”Mr. Phillips said he agreed. “The truth hurts sometimes,” he responds. “Deal with it.”
Annie Karni and Katie Rogers reported from Washington, and Kevin Roose from San Francisco. Jeremy Peters and Kitty Bennett contributed reporting from Washington. Annie Karni and Katie Rogers reported from Washington, and Kevin Roose from New York. Jeremy Peters and Kitty Bennett contributed reporting from Washington.