Don Jr jokes about violence against migrants in Instagram post as he backs DeSantis’s Martha’s Vineyard stunt

President’s son shares series of memes depicting scenes where migrants were attacked by border officials on the US southern border

Donald Trump Jr appeared to joke about violence against migrants arriving in the US, while he voiced his support for Gov Ron DeSantis’s programme to send two flights of the recently arrived people to Martha’s Vineyard this week.

The former president’s son, who is executive vice president at his father’s Trump Organization, took to multiple social media platforms on Thursday to tear down people who support more progressive border policies by sharing a series of memes that depict scenes where migrants were attacked by border officials on the US southern border.

“You know it’s coming,” he said in an Instagram post that showed a photoshopped image from the infamous incident when video footage showed Border Patrol agents on horseback, using what appeared to be whips on Haitian migrants seeking asylum along the US border with Mexico last September. Above the migrants is a large photoshopped sign that reads: “Martha’s Vineyard”.

Mr Trump Jr appeared to be showing his support for Republican Gov DeSantis, after the Floridia governor admitted to authorising two planes carrying 50 migrants to land on Martha’s Vineyard on Wednesday afternoon.

The planes, which the governor’s office told Fox News Digital on Wednesday were part of the state’s “relocation programme”, arrived on the small island community without elected officials in town receiving a heads up from the southern governor.

Though local officials responded quickly and compassionately to the arrival of families, many of whom didn’t know where they were going when they originally boarded the planes in San Antonio, Texas, state officials acknowledged that the small towns on the popular vacation island were not equipped to handle that kind of immigration surge, lacking both the legal services and infrastructure the newly arrived people would need.

“The island communities are not equipped to provide sustainable accommodation, and state officials developed a plan to deliver a comprehensive humanitarian response,” said Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker’s office in a statement released Friday.

“Our Administration has been working across state government to develop a plan to ensure these individuals will have access to the services they need going forward, and Joint Base Cape Cod is well equipped to serve these needs,” said Gov Baker, noting that his state planned to call on up to 125 National Guard to assist with the efforts being coordinated by Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA).

On Twitter, the former president’s son took to sharing more memes that picked up the line being shared on the right that called out residents of sanctuary cities as “hypocrites.”

“Checks out,” tweeted Mr Trump, alongside a popular meme with the words “the scene in Martha’s Vineyard right now” above it that showed Homer Simpson slowly backing into bushes in apparent embarrassment with a sign around his neck that read: “No human is illegal.”

Migrants who landed on the island on Wednesday have since begun to voluntarily be transported to Joint Base Cape Cod, which has been deployed to support people during previous emergencies such as taking in internal refugees during Hurricane Katrina and being utilised by residents as an alternative medical site at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.