Trump blasts Kathy Griffin over "beheading" photo

President Trump is lashing out against celebrity Kathy Griffin after a photo of her holding a replica of Mr. Trump's head, covered in blood, circulated the internet on Tuesday.

Mr. Trump fired off a tweet directed at Griffin, saying she "should be ashamed of herself," adding that his children, including his 11-year-old son Barron, were having a "hard time" with the photo.

First Lady Melania Trump also released a statement questioning Griffin's mental fitness.

"As a mother, a wife, and a human being, that photo is very disturbing. When you consider some of the atrocities happening in the world today, a photo opportunity like this is simply wrong and makes you wonder about the mental health of the person who did it," her statement read.

Griffin sent shock waves through social media after a photo taken by celebrity photographer Tyler Shields was released that was seemingly reminiscent of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) beheading videos and photos. Griffin posed with a vacant-eyed stare to the camera, holding a facsimile of Mr. Trump's detached, bloodied head by the hair.

Griffin had originally posted that she was merely "mocking the Mocker in Chief." But hours after the photo's release, Griffin apologized for the incident in a video, saying she "went too far" and was wrong.

Blowback for the post was swift, garnering responses from people like Chelsea Clinton who called the post "vile" as well as Griffin's close friend CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, who said he was "appalled" by the "clearly disgusting" image. 

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