Donald Trump Jr. has found himself at the center of a storm of criticism after being accused of engaging in illegal hunting practices while in Italy. The claims come as environmental activists and local politicians express outrage over footage that allegedly shows Trump Jr. hunting rare ducks in a protected area, raising serious questions about legal compliance and ethical hunting practices.
The uproar began following the release of a nearly six-minute video by the American publication Field Ethos, which describes itself as a ‘premier lifestyle publication for the unapologetic man.’ The video, filmed shortly before Christmas, depicts a hunting expedition in a lagoon region near Venice, with Trump Jr. prominently featured among a group of hunters dressed in camouflage gear. The footage shows him emerging from a foxhole and firing at ducks, with several birds visibly falling from the sky.
As the video progresses, one of the hunters can be heard exclaiming, ‘It was a great duck shoot with a little bit of good eating in Venice,’ while another participant boasts, ‘Don got about 50.’ At one point, Trump Jr. is shown surrounded by an array of dead birds, including a striking amber-colored duck, which he acknowledges as ‘a rather uncommon bird in the area.’ This particular duck is believed to be a Ruddy Shelduck, a species that has been categorized as rare in Europe and is thought to be experiencing a decline in its population.
The release of this footage has ignited a fierce backlash in Italy. Environmentalists and lawmakers are now calling for a formal investigation into Trump Jr.’s actions, emphasizing that the species he allegedly hunted is protected under the European Union’s Birds Directive. According to Italian law, it is illegal to kill such protected birds, adding another layer of complexity to the situation.
Andrea Zanoni, a prominent Italian environmentalist and member of the Green Party, has been vocal in his condemnation of Trump Jr.’s actions. He claims that the footage demonstrates a clear violation of Italian hunting laws, asserting that Trump Jr. killed a protected species without the necessary hunting license. Zanoni further alleges that the hunting occurred in a conservation area safeguarded by European regulations known as the Middle Lower Lagoon of Venice—a location that is specifically designated for environmental protection.
In an official statement, Zanoni stated, ‘Like any foreigner, in Italy he was not allowed to hunt by law. In fact, in our country, only residents of one of the Italian regions can hunt.’ He elaborated on the legal requirements, explaining that hunters need a license issued by local law enforcement, which is only granted to residents of specific Italian regions. This license must document details such as the date, location of the hunt, and the quantity of animals killed, categorized by species.
The controversy surrounding Trump Jr.’s hunting activities has escalated to the point where Zanoni has lodged a complaint with the judiciary, asserting that ‘Veneto and Italy are not the property of the USA.’ The situation has caught the attention of other political figures as well, with Luana Zanella, a Green member of the Italian parliament, demanding clarity from the Environment Ministry regarding the potential legal ramifications of the incident. She stated, ‘We are asking with a question to the Minister of the Environment Pichetto Fratin to explain what happened. Given that the shooting of protected species is a crime, also if it is true that among those participants was present Donald Trump Jr., son of the President of the United States.’
Monica Sambo, a member of the Democratic Party in Venice, has also weighed in on the matter, asserting that the events depicted in the video represent a serious violation of environmental protections. She remarked, ‘What has been reported is a very serious matter; it is unacceptable that protected species are being killed in the Venice lagoon, a protected environment that should be preserved. If Trump Junior’s involvement is confirmed, we hope he will be prosecuted like any other citizen.’
Field Ethos, the publication that released the footage, was co-founded by Trump Jr. and markets itself as representing ‘old school adventurers who make no apologies for who we are.’ Despite the backlash, it appears that Trump Jr. has maintained his presence in the public eye. During his trip to Venice, he was accompanied by his girlfriend, Bettina Anderson, who shared several photographs of their time in the city, including a romantic gondola ride.
This incident is not the first time Trump Jr. has faced scrutiny for his hunting practices. Back in June 2020, he was involved in another controversy when it was revealed that he had killed a rare Argali mountain sheep during a hunting expedition in 2019. Reports indicated that he had only received retroactive permission for the hunt from the Mongolian government, further complicating his public image as an outdoorsman.
Despite the ongoing controversies surrounding his hunting practices, it is unlikely that this incident will have any significant impact on the political relationship between Donald Trump and Italy’s right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Meloni was one of a select group of world leaders who attended Trump’s inauguration, and earlier this year, she visited him at his Mar-a-Lago estate, where Trump praised her as ‘a fantastic woman’ who is ‘really taken Europe by storm.’
As the situation unfolds, the implications of Trump Jr.’s alleged actions may resonate far beyond the immediate legal concerns, raising broader questions about hunting ethics, environmental conservation, and the responsibilities of public figures in setting examples for their followers. The backlash from Italian activists serves as a reminder of the ongoing global struggle to protect endangered species and the habitats they rely on, highlighting the need for strict adherence to conservation laws and ethical hunting practices.
