Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-000678/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Dario Tamburrano (The Left)
A number of newspapers[1] have published a video[2] of a hunt in Veneto[3] in which Donald Trump Jr, son of the US President, took part. He appears surrounded by dead birds in the video[4].
The image quality makes it difficult to identify all the species. A ruddy shelduck appears to be recognisable in the foreground.
Gesturing to it, Donald Trump Jr says, ‘This is actually a rather uncommon duck for the area. Not even sure what it is in English. But, er … incredible shoot.’ We therefore understand that it is rare and has been hunted (and not found dead, for example).
A Veneto Regional Councillor said[5], ‘if [Trump Jr] acted in accordance with the rules, as seems to be the case, there is no reason for this hysteria’.
The councillor is a member of Fratelli d’Italia, a ruling party in both Italy and the Veneto Region.
The Minister for the Environment[6] said that perhaps a Trump Jr lookalike had shot the shelduck.
As it stands, the Italian authorities have taken no action.
In the light of the above:
- 1.Does EU legislation allow for the hunting of ruddy shelducks[7]?
- 2.If it does not allow for it, what steps will the Commission take in this case, both generally and specifically if Italy itself takes no action?
Submitted: 13.2.2025
- [1] For instance: https://t.ly/hMHnA.
- [2] The video appeared on – and was subsequently deleted from – Field Ethos: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/05/travel/video/donald-trump-junior-accused-of-shooting-rare-duck-italy-digvid – around 00:25 et seq.
- [3] The hunt presumably took place in late December or early January: Christmas decorations appear in one indoors scene.
- [4] 01:38 et seq.
- [5] https://t.ly/KOiLM
- [6] https://t.ly/x9-Of
- [7] The question does not concern the theoretical possibility of hunting (conceivably by way of derogation) ruddy shelducks, but their actual hunting (and in recent months), also bearing in mind that the 2024-25 hunting schedule of the Veneto Region does not provide for the hunting of ruddy shelducks by way of derogation itself – https://bur.regione.veneto.it/BurvServices/pubblica/DettaglioDgr.aspx?id=532485.