CNN has been accused of trying to 'police the views' of the man who created an image 'promoting violence against journalists' that was shared by Donald Trump by threatening to reveal his identity if he posts offensive material in future.

Opponents of the network accused it of blackmail after an article was published on Tuesday explaining how reporters had been able to identify and get in contact with 'HanA**holeSolo', the Reddit user who created the GIF used by Trump in his latest attack on the media over the weekend.

Andrew Kaczynski, a reporter with CNN's KFile, said he would not name the person behind the account - but could do so if he said anything offensive in future.

The article read: 'CNN is not publishing "HanA**holeSolo's" name because he is a private citizen who has issued an extensive statement of apology, showed his remorse by saying he has taken down all his offending posts, and because he said he is not going to repeat this ugly behavior on social media again.'

He then added: 'CNN reserves the right to publish his identity should any of that change.'

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President Donald Trump tweeted an edited video clip of himself hitting Vince McMahon at WrestleMania 23, but the CNN logo was slapped over McMahon's face. The image created controversy this week, and led to CNN reporters tracking down the user who created the GIF

CNN defended its story in a statement released on Wednesday afternoon.

'CNN decided not to publish the name of the Reddit user out of concern for his safety. Any assertion that the network blackmailed or coerced him is false,' the statement read.

'The user, who is an adult male, not a 15-year-old boy, apologized and deleted his account before ever speaking with our reporter.

'CNN never made any deal, of any kind, with the user. In fact, CNN included its decision to withhold the user’s identity in an effort to be completely transparent that there was no deal.'

Earlier, the KFile piece detailed how they had been: 'able to determine key biographical details, to find the man's name using a Facebook search and ultimately corroborate details he had made available on Reddit.'

Kaczynski went on to explain how he tried to contact the person behind the troll account, who he said was a 'middle aged man', prior to an apology being made from the account on Reddit.

'On Monday, KFile attempted to contact the man by email and phone but he did not respond. On Tuesday, "HanA**holeSolo" posted his apology on the subreddit /The_Donald and deleted all of his other posts,' the CNN article read.

'After posting his apology, "HanA**holeSolo" called CNN's KFile and confirmed his identity. In the interview, "HanA**holeSolo" sounded nervous about his identity being revealed and asked to not be named out of fear for his personal safety and for the public embarrassment it would bring to him and his family.

Andrew Kaczynski, a reporter with CNN's KFile, wrote he had been: 'able to determine key biographical details, to find the man's name using a Facebook search and ultimately corroborate details he had made available on Reddit

He later tweeted he had not spoken to the Reddit user before an apology appeared online, but he had tried to make contact

The line about 'reserving the right' to name the user in future is what has been seized upon by countless opponents of the network, including hundreds of anonymous posters on Reddit and Twitter, to accuse CNN of 'blackmail'.

'CNN LITERALLY DOXXED A PRIVATE CITIZEN AMD THREATENED TO RELEASE HIS PUBLIC INFO IF HE DIDN'T APOLOGIZE, SERIOUSLY WHAT THE F***ING F***,' a user called 'ExtinctWhiteMale' wrote on R/The_Donald.

'CNN is f***ing ISIS...... nobody should ever apologize when FNN (Fraud News Network) is the enemy,' another user wrote in response.

The subreddit, which was where the initial meme and subsequent apology from 'HanA**holeSolo' were first posted, promoted the hashtag 'CNNBlackmail' throughout the day on Tuesday.

It was eventually picked up by other, more prominent online figures who support Trump and often attack the news media, such as Donald Trump Jr, Wikileaks, Julian Assange and others.

Many on social media, including conservative supporters such as Julian Assange and Donald Trump Jr, were quick to attack CNN for allegedly 'blackmailing' the Reddit user

'@CNN U basically coerce apology & threaten release of identity if something changes? Pretty sure a line is crossed here,' Republican congressman for Virginia Scott Taylor tweeted.

'Don't worry @KFILE, if you start deleting your tweets I've saved them for you. #urwelcome #CNNBlackmail,' conservative author Tammy Bruce wrote.

'When Trump goes low CNN goes lower: threatens to dox artist behind "CNN head" video if he makes fun of them again,' Assange tweeted.

Ted Cruz also chimed in, floating the idea CNN could have committed a crime.

'Troubling. I assume CNN's lawyers are examining GA § 16-8-16 Theft by extortion. If CNN constructively obtained the gif-maker's IP... it's a GA crime if they threatened to "Disseminate any information tending to subject any person to hatred, contempt, or ridicule....",' he tweeted.

Governor Mike Huckabee also had to try to make a joke out of the situation, tweeting: 'CNN-the "Corleone News Network". Make fun of them with a humorous gif and they threaten you. On 4th of July no less!'

'So I guess they weren't effective threatening the admin so they go after & bully a 15 y/o? Seems in line w their "standards" #CNNBlackmail,' Trump Jr wrote, repeating a claim made by some online that 'HanA**holeSolo' was a teenage boy.

However, Kaczynski - who spoke to the person behind the account - responded to the age allegation in tweets of his own on Wednesday.

Mike Huckabee and Ted Cruz also commented on the incident on Wednesday, attacking CNN

'Again. HanA**holeSolo is not 15 or anywhere close to it. This is POTUS' son spreading misinformation,' he wrote in response to Don Jr.

'Need to point out again HanA**holeSolo is a middle aged man. People claiming he's 15 are wrong. Some are intentionally spreading this,' he wrote earlier on Wednesday morning.

In response to a comment about the alleged 'blackmail', the KFile writer tweeted: 'This line is being misinterpreted. It was intended only to mean we made no agreement w/the man about his identity.'

Despite the explanations from the CNN writer, the phrase '#CNNBlackmail' was a trending topic on Twitter on Wednesday morning.

In the face of criticism he and his employer were receiving for the report, Kaczynski defended the article

It comes after HanA**holeSolo explained in his apology - which has been deleted from R/The_Donald - he posted it and other comments to 'get a reaction' but claimed he 'never meant any of the hateful things I said in those posts.'

'I have the highest respect for the journalist community and they put their lives on the line every day with the jobs that they do in reporting the news,' he wrote.

'It was a prank, nothing more.'

Since taking credit for the president's GIF tweet, his previous posts on the discussion site - many of which were racist and contained anti-Semitic imagery - were dug up and began circulating on social media.

'I would also like to apologize for the posts made that were racist, bigoted, and anti-Semitic,' he said. 'I am in no way this kind of person.'

He added that he would 'never support any kind of violence or actions against others simply for what they believe in, their religion, or the lifestyle they choose to have.'

Reddit user HanA**holeSolo came forward to take credit for the GIF (pictured) writing he was 'honored' Trump had tweeted it. He later apologized. CNN identified him, but did not name him

Reddit user HanA**holeSolo then came forward to take credit for the GIF, writing he was 'honored,' saying 'Holy s***!! I wake up and have my morning coffee and who retweets my s*** post but the MAGA (Make America great again) EMPORER himself!!! I am honored!!

This is HanA**holeSolo apology for the offensive clip after CNN tracked down his real identity

He also issued a warning to his fellow Redditors asking anyone considering trolling another person to 'put themselves in their shoes' first.

The GIF, shared by Trump, shows the president during an appearance in 2007 at WWE's Wrestlemania event, tackling and pummeling the company's chairman, Vince McMahon.

Vince is the husband of Trump's Administrator of the Small Business Administration, Linda McMahon.

The official @POTUS account retweeted the video, which was mocked to look like a direct, physical attack by Trump on CNN.

In the wake of the president posting it, CNN's PR team tweeted: 'It is a sad day when the President of the United States encourages violence against reporters.'

CNN added Trump is engaged in: 'juvenile behavior far below the dignity of his office.'

As a presidential candidate and as commander-in-chief, Trump has repeatedly made known his disdain for the media, calling it 'the enemy of the American people' and frequently referring to mainstream news organizations as 'failing' or 'fake news.'

DailyMail.com contacted CNN and Kaczynski for comment.