Venetian prosecutors have launched an investigation into Donald Trump Jr. following the circulation of a social media video showing him shooting and killing a protected duck species during a hunting trip in a Venice lagoon.
Italian politician Andrea Zanoni initially filed a criminal complaint, and authorities were assessing whether to proceed with a case. As of this week, the investigation is officially underway. If convicted, Trump Jr. could face both jail time and fines.
The video depicts Trump Jr. surrounded by dead birds, identified as ruddy shelducks, a protected species under Italian law. Zanoni, a regional councilor in Veneto, noted that only residents of northern Italy can obtain the necessary licenses to hunt these ducks.
A spokesperson for Trump Jr. stated that he and his group had the required permits and were hunting in a legal area with other groups present.
The footage was initially published by Field Ethos, a lifestyle publication co-founded by Trump Jr., but was later removed. However, Italian media republished the video.
Leone Rossi Di Montelera, who operates Italian Safari, a travel hunting service, reported that foreigners can obtain temporary hunting licenses under strict guidelines, provided they have a valid hunting license in their home country and are sponsored by an authorized Italian hunting guide.
