Anti-Trump site shares fake statement from the former president about death of Peanut the squirrel

An anti-Donald Trump website shared a fake post from former President Donald Trump regarding the death of "Peanut the Squirrel" in an article before deleting it. 

A spokesperson from Trump's team confirmed to the New York Post that the statement was fake.

Mediaite published a now-deleted story about the death of an internet-famous squirrel that was confiscated and later killed by New York state officials.

The fake post, made to look like it came from the Trump campaign, said in part, "If Peanut could have told them that he was from Mexico, they would have sent him on his way and given him a hotel room and a $500 gift card to Buddy Squirrel."

The Trump spokesperson called Mediaite "fake news."

Peanut's death sparked social media outrage. Peanut's owner, Mark Longo, owns an animal sanctuary that has other pets. The New York Department of Environmental Conservation said it received complaints that wildlife was being kept there illegally, according to Fox News.

Besides Peanut, Longo's pet raccoon Fred was also seized and killed by authorities, both over concerns about rabies.

Memes erupted all over social media following the death of Peanut. 

"President @realDonaldTrump will save the squirrels," Elon Musk wrote on the social media platform, X.

Reps. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., and Mike Collins, R-Ga., also posted their condolences about Peanut.