Investigation reveals surprising source of Trump's 'Unified Reich' message: report
The original creator of the "unified Reich" video that Donald Trump's campaign coopted and landed on his Truth Social feed — is a 30-year-old Turkish freelance graphic designer who wants to make clear: "I’m not a Nazi."
The video template the Trump team selected to make their own was the brainchild of Enes Şimşek, who lives near Istanbul.
Şimşek told CNN that the Trump campaign used his signature vintage newsreel template video graphics he assembled last year and that it was focused on World War I – not World War II. The static text was lifted from a Google search, he said.
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“German industrial strength and production had significantly increased after 1871, driven by the creation of a unified Reich,” according to the outlet.
Şimşek was baffled by the hoopla in the U.S. over his original format that was chosen by the Trump campaign.
He claims he sent a letter Truth Social support with the subject header: “From the ‘REICH’ video template Author.”
“Hi. I am the initial author of that ‘REICH’ video template. If you need an official statement just let me know,” he wrote.
But he said nobody replied.
The original version of the template can be seen on his portfolio page.
He suggests in the introduction of it that the Trump campaign used the video but "they forgot to change some of the text" in their final edit.
"And things grew very mad," he wrote.
He offered a nod to former President Donald Trump and his team: "By the way, thank you to Trump for choosing my template."
Şimşek claims so far he's only sold just 16 copies of the animated template for $21 each, according to CNN.
“I didn’t know it is my power to change politics … I don’t know what could be crazier than that,” Şimşek told the outlet. “Imagine if your work shakes a country.”
The Trump campaign adapted the mock newspaper clippings Şimşek created but altered them.
The 30-second video, which Trump posted on his social media site, Truth Social, flashes a series of sepia-hued newspapers from the early 1900s rehashing language from World War I headlines, including references to 'German industrial strength' and 'peace through strength."
In the final ad, the headlines hail a preordained Trump victory in the 2024 presidential election.
It asks, "What's Next for America," and promotes “the creation of a unified Reich.”
Another article in the ad chronicles Trump deporting 15 million migrants in a second term.
President Joe Biden's campaign quickly denounced Donald Trump for he video of some throwback tyranny.
In one tweet, Biden appears to watch the video and becomes furious. "A unified Reich," he asks, "That's Hitler's language. That's not America's."
Şimşek is hoping that Americans will simmer down over the substance of the video now that they may know its origins.
“I love all the American people,” he said. “And please calm down. This is just a template. And, also, I’m not a Nazi.”