A TikTok video captured in Dunedin, Florida, has ignited outrage across social media, showing what many are calling a display of emboldened racism in post-Trump America. In the clip, a white, elderly man is seen confronting two young women of color enjoying a sunset walk, demanding to see their identification and questioning whether they are “illegal immigrants.”
TikTok exploded in response, with over 11,000 comments condemning the man’s behavior. “Who does he think he is?” asked one user, while another quipped, “Normalize unleashing on racists.” Others pointed to the broader political landscape, noting how Trump-era rhetoric has given fringe views a disturbing sense of legitimacy.
“This is Trump’s America,” one commenter wrote. “He made it OK to do this.” Another added, “Racists are getting too comfortable with this administration.”
Many users were particularly disturbed by the man’s sense of entitlement, believing he had the authority to police strangers based on their appearance alone. As one commenter aptly put it: “So now anyone who isn’t white is ‘illegal’? Look what Trump did to this country.”
While racism isn’t exclusive to any one state, Florida has increasingly become symbolic of a broader cultural divide. From the state’s controversial legislation on immigration and education to its polarizing political leadership, many see Dunedin as just another flashpoint in the national discourse.
As one user declared, “Florida 100%, the hate and racism is mind-blowing.” Another said their family had canceled an upcoming vacation to the state, disturbed by what they described as a “rising tide of hate.”
Some commenters noted that the man, who claimed to be a Vietnam veteran, seemed to be using his service as a shield for his actions. “He must have forgot that he fought in Vietnam with immigrants alongside him,” wrote one viewer. Another pointed out that “Mexican Americans died in Vietnam too. What does he think gives him the moral high ground?”
Others were less charitable. “I love how ‘I killed babies overseas’ means we’re supposed to respect them or something,” one TikTok user wrote. “F these people.”
The TikTok community wasted no time doxxing the man, spreading his name and calling for public accountability. Some users joked that he was trying to secure a “GoFundMe like Shiloux Hendrix,” a nod to another recently disgraced internet figure.
This confrontation is perhaps a reflection of a country where the line between patriotism and prejudice is often blurred. It highlights how certain segments of American society, emboldened by political rhetoric, feel justified in challenging the citizenship of anyone who doesn’t fit their narrow vision of what “American” looks like.
