Melania Trump appears to have emerged triumphant in her skirmish with a YouTuber who posted a video suggesting that her son Barron might be autistic.
The poster of the video, James Hunter, said that he will remove the video if the First Lady-to-be wishes.
Hunter’s announcement Monday came just hours following a report that Melania Trump threatened legal action over the video.
The YouTuber admitted that he’s “absolutely terrified right now” over the prospect of legal action, Gossip Cop first reported.
“TMZ just contacted me to tell me Melania Trump is threatening a lawsuit over this video, and wants a public apology from me,” Hunter wrote. “I’m absolutely terrified right now, and I’m not sure if this is actually true or not.”
Hunter, who said that he was diagnosed with autism at age five, added, “I truly believed Barron was on the [autism] spectrum, and I wanted people to stop bullying him over his ‘weird’ behavior and explain to them that it might actually be due to a condition.”
Hunter concluded, “If this rumor [about the legal threat] turns out to be true, and Ms.Trump really wants this video deleted, I will. I have a great respect for her and her family. I never meant to hurt anyone.”
According to TMZ, Trump sent a letter stating that the video — which cites supposed signs of autism, such as clapping without slapping his hands — is wrong,
Trump’s attorney, Charles Harder, told TheWrap in a statement Monday, “This law firm represents First Lady-elect Melania Trump and her 10-year-old son, Barron Trump. A video was posted at YouTube recently speculating that Barron might be autistic. He is not. The video includes the hashtag “StopTheBullying” but yet the video itself is bullying by making false statements and speculation about a 10-year-old boy for the purpose of harassing him and his parents. The online bullying of children, including Barron Trump, should end now.”
The video has been viewed over 1.2 million times on YouTube since being uploaded on Nov. 11.
“Donald Trump’s youngest son Barron Trump might be autistic, and it’s time for people to stop bullying him for his ‘strange’ behavior. Let’s follow Melania Trump and #StopTheBullying,” the video description reads.
The seven-minute video points to several of Barron’s mannerisms, captured on camera during the few times he’s appeared on TV, as evidence he may be autistic.
“His hands are moving erratically and aren’t touching each other,” text reads over footage of the boy clapping for his president-elect father. “Then he was spotted making strange movements in his seat, typical in children with autism.”