Trump's White House criticised over 'Laurel or Yanny' clip making light of fake news accusations

Social media users accuse officials of ruining meme that has divided the internet

The White House has split opinion after weighing into the latest internet debate: Do you hear Laurel or Yanny?

A video posted to Twitter showed of Donald Trump and a number of high-profile administration officials being asked which word they hear in the infamous audio clip

“It’s so clearly Laurel,” Mr Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, says at the start of the clip.

Kellyanne Conway, a senior adviser to the president who gained notoriety when she suggested former White House press secretary Sean Spicer, had presented "alternative facts" when describing crowd numbers at Mr Trump's inauguration, also took part.

“It’s Laurel, but I could deflect and divert to Yanny if you need me to," she says.

Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders is told by someone off camera there are reports she hears Laurel. Asked to respond, she replies: “Clearly you’re getting your information from CNN because that’s fake news. All I hear is Yanny.”

Vice-president Mike Pence simply asks, “Who’s Yanny?” before Mr Trump gives his verdict from the Oval Office.

“I hear covfefe,” the president says, a reference to a misspelling he published on Twitter last year, when he appeared to be trying to write "coverage".

After the video's release, some social media users accused the administration of ruining the meme.

Others criticised the clip for joking about the White House’s tendency to mislead the media and its attacks on what it perceives to be "fake news".

However, others enjoyed the video, with one user calling it "the funniest thing I have seen all day".

Can you hear Laurel or Yanni? The correct answer is both.