On Wednesday, everyone returned from the long weekend to the delightful, cheery hashtag: "CNN Blackmail." Tweeters included trolls at all levels, including Donald Trump Jr:

So I guess they weren't effective threatening the admin so they go after & bully a 15 y/o? Seems in line w their "standards" #CNNBlackmail https://t.co/u8YmNnLonj
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) July 5, 2017

CNN is threatening to dox the creator of the Trump body slam gif if he doesn't keep his mouth shut! #CNNBlackmail pic.twitter.com/Ut1zVk3M4H
— Mark Dice (@MarkDice) July 5, 2017

A multi-billion dollar TV network blackmailing a private citizen into not making funny videos about it is not journalism, CNN. #CNNBlackmail
— Julian Assange 🔹 (@JulianAssange) July 5, 2017

Explaining this ridiculous scenario backwards from today's hashtag might be the simplest way to understand what's going on here. But first, you've got to know that all this stems from a ridiculous tweet—as usual—from President Donald Trump.

#FraudNewsCNN #FNN pic.twitter.com/WYUnHjjUjg
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 2, 2017

But that's getting ahead of ourselves. On Tuesday, a CNN reporter named Andrew Kacynski identified the Reddit user who initially "claimed credit for" the stupid video in Donald Trump's above tweet.

He goes by the user name HanAssholeSolo. Nice. Naturally.

CNN discovered HanAssholeSolo's identity through bits of biographical data left on his Reddit. https://t.co/X47X3u8CUy pic.twitter.com/ZbcGjXIAjC
— andrew kaczynski 🤔 (@KFILE) July 5, 2017

This was someone who shared an image of CNN reporters' face with Stars of David next them.
— andrew kaczynski 🤔 (@KFILE) July 5, 2017

As CNN poked around HanA**holeSolo's Reddit history, they found a number of racist, anti-Semitic posts. Of course, because this is the type of guy that inspires Trump. The man behind the Reddit handle apologized, and CNN wrote the following. They wouldn't publish his name:

CNN is not publishing "HanA**holeSolo's" name because he is a private citizen who has issued an extensive statement of apology, showed his remorse by saying he has taken down all his offending posts, and because he said he is not going to repeat this ugly behavior on social media again. In addition, he said his statement could serve as an example to others not to do the same.

CNN reserves the right to publish his identity should any of that change.

And here we are, with a number of right-wing personalities and straight-up trolls (Donald Trump Jr.) tweeting about #CNN Blackmail with made-up allegations, chief of which the idea that HanA**holeSolo is a 15-year-old.

🚨Any company advertising with CNN should be boycotted...

Blackmailing an 15 yr old American Citizen over a meme... sickening#CNNBlackmail
— Mark MAGA 🇺🇸 Fl (@revelation16_15) July 5, 2017

In a better world, CNN would be shut down by this. Corporations should not bully 15yr olds. #CNNBlackmail
— Jason Richard (@JReesh) July 5, 2017

He's not a 15-year-old.

Correcting misinformation. HanAssholeSolo is an adult and not 15 which people have spread. https://t.co/BQ2QCDwZ0L
— andrew kaczynski 🤔 (@KFILE) July 5, 2017

Need to point out again HanAssholeSolo is a middle aged man. People claiming he's 15 are wrong. Some are intentionally spreading this.
— andrew kaczynski 🤔 (@KFILE) July 5, 2017

The issue of exposing the Reddit user's identity sounds murky and bizarre—but Kacyznski denied coaxing the apology out of him, and said that CNN's article is being misinterpreted. The man himself, HanA**holeSolo, apparently agrees.

This line is being misinterpreted. It was intended only to mean we made no agreement w/the man about his identity. https://t.co/9FL6EvTikx
— andrew kaczynski 🤔 (@KFILE) July 5, 2017

CNN specifically choose not to reveal this guy's identity and to say we threatened anyone is a total lie.https://t.co/f02hLaVRqu
— andrew kaczynski 🤔 (@KFILE) July 5, 2017

FYI "HanAssholeSolo" just called me."I am in total agreement with your statement. I was not threatened in anyway." https://t.co/7se1B8Z29D
— andrew kaczynski 🤔 (@KFILE) July 5, 2017

"HanAssholeSolo" posted his apology before we *ever* spoke him. He called us afterwards to apologize further. https://t.co/X47X3u8CUy
— andrew kaczynski 🤔 (@KFILE) July 5, 2017

"I hope it does serve others as an inspiration to stop," he added.
— andrew kaczynski 🤔 (@KFILE) July 5, 2017

Plus there's this gem, in which an anonymous Reddit troll shows better judgment than the president:

He called us after posting apology. He said he wouldn't have given the WH permission to use the GIF had they asked. https://t.co/X47X3u8CUy
— andrew kaczynski 🤔 (@KFILE) July 5, 2017

None of the facts of the situation have stopped people like Donald Trump Jr. from tweeting what they want on the matter. After all, "CNN Blackmail" achieves the same thing POTUS did with his initial tweet: it turns the bashing of journalists into entertainment, based on nothing in reality.

Enjoy your day back from the holiday, and see you at the next Trump tweet.

The 'CNN Blackmail' hashtag is another complete mess that started with a Trump tweet.