Donald Trump Jr. shares photo of 9-year-old son carrying a gun on hunting trip

Erin Donnelly
·Editor

While speculation over his 2016 meeting with a Russian lawyer ramps up and his new girlfriend, Kimberly Guilfoyle, combats claims that she was forced out at Fox News over inappropriate behavior, Donald Trump Jr. is courting some controversy of his own.

President Trump’s eldest son often raises eyebrows with his Instagrams, many of which feature the five children he had with ex Vanessa Trump. Just weeks ago his photo of his 6-year-old son, Tristan, playing with a bow and arrow raised concerned comments about child safety.

Now he’s gone a step further, sharing a snapshot of 9-year-old Donnie — the boy is officially named Donald Trump III — holding a double-barreled shotgun. According to Trump Jr., the photo was taken during a duck-hunting trip when he and the “best hunting buddy out there” went to Texas last season. He also urged parents to take their own children hunting, writing, “Get them outdoors early and often.”

The photo has predictably sparked debate about the morality of hunting and gun safety around children.

“A gun in a child’s hands… Donny. No,” read one comment.

“Cute little young man, but not with a rifle in his hands!” chided another follower. “That’s my opinion!”

“Donald, you know hunting is dangerous, please be careful of your kids,” added another commenter. “God bless them.”

But others saw no problem with the picture of the armed child.

“Kudos to you for getting him set up with great ear protection and teaching gun safety at an early age!” a fan wrote.

“So priceless and genuine… love the double barrel,” read another comment.

“I prefer my kid hunt and fish rather than steal and deal,” added one dad.

Trump’s hunting isn’t limited to ducks; he and his brother Eric took part in a 2012 big-game hunting trip in Africa that was met with backlash when photos of the brothers posing with a dead elephant, crocodile, and leopard surfaced.

“We are both avid outdoorsmen and were brought up hunting and fishing with our Grandfather who taught us that nothing should ever be taken for granted or wasted,” the Trumps responded in a statement to E! News following outrage over the images.

“We have the utmost respect for nature and have always hunted in accordance with local laws and regulations. In addition, all meat was donated to local villagers who were incredibly grateful. We love traveling and being in the woods — at the end of the day, we are outdoorsmen at heart.”

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