The most popular Twitter trend in the United States is “#CNNBlackmail,” after CNN was accused of threatening to reveal the identity of the private citizen who made a video depicting President Trump beating up the news network.

If you think the Reddit guy’s name is newsworthy, publish it. If it’s not, don’t.



Holding future behavior over his head is #CNNBlackmail. pic.twitter.com/jH3EIQ2AyO — Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) July 5, 2017

He apologized because CNN threatened to release his name..his apology is straight out of North Korea, apologize or get killed#CNNBlackMail — RockPrincess (@Rockprincess818) July 5, 2017

There will now be more anti-CNN memes than ever before. Thank you, @CNN#CNNBlackmail pic.twitter.com/WVScWZVPe4 — Caligula Casanova (@FallenCasanova) July 5, 2017

Reminder, this is the meme CNN decided was cause enough to locate a citizen and commit a crime over. #CNNBlackmail pic.twitter.com/96EmyKUQVH — Cerah Chong (@SomeBlasianGirl) July 5, 2017

CNN blackmails a private citizen to stop posting offensive memes, now even more people are doing it.



Another epic fail. #CNNBlackmail — Michelle 🇺🇸 (@michelle4trump) July 5, 2017

CNN are a bunch of THUGS who threaten to blackmail a private citizen because he made a hilarious video. #CNNBlackmail — Makada 🇺🇸 (@_Makada_) July 5, 2017

CNN going after someone for making an anti-CNN meme just created more anti-CNN memes than ever before #CNNBlackmail — Jack Posobiec 🇺🇸(@JackPosobiec) July 5, 2017

CNN discovered the identity of the Reddit user who made a video showing Mr. Trump, in a World Wrestling Entertainment show from 2007, pretending to beat up a man who had a CNN logo superimposed on his face.

In an article published Tuesday night, CNN said it would not reveal the man’s identity because he is a private citizen and had apologized for making the video and offensive comments on Reddit.

But CNN also said it “reserves the right to publish his identity should any of that change.”

A CNN spokesperson said the network “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 spokesperson said in a statement. “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.”

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