Duggars Release Baby Samuel’s Latest Pics Amid Derick’s Twitter Scandal, Fans Accuse Damage Control Attempt

The Duggar family has released the latest batch of baby Samuel’s photos on their official website, but the reception of the Counting On community has been polarized at best. Announced through the family’s official Facebook page and Jill’s Instagram account, Samuel’s latest baby pics were met with a mixture of criticism and accusations from members of the social media platforms, thanks to Derick Dillard’s recent actions on Twitter.

Baby Samuel’s latest pictures show the youngest member of the Duggar family growing very well. Sam could be seen sleeping peacefully, and even Jill looked like her radiant self again. Inasmuch as Sam is undoubtedly adorable and cute in his latest public photo album, however, many of Jill’s followers and subscribers of the Duggar Family Official Facebook group have accused the reality TV family of attempting damage control after Derick Dillard’s latest Twitter scandal.

“Duggars be like we better hurry and put out some cute pictures for damage control!” one commenter on the family’s official Facebook page wrote.

“That’s what I thought too. Oops, another scandal. Quick, share baby pics,” wrote another commenter.

Derick Dillard, Jill Duggar’s husband, recently went on a Twitter tirade attacking transgender teen Jazz Jennings, the star of TLC’s reality show I Am Jazz. According to Derick’s tweet, the premise of Jennings’ show follows a non-reality, since the word “transgender” is a myth.

Derick added fuel to the fire by insisting on referring to Jennings as a male with pronouns such as “him,” which are socially unacceptable pronouns with regards to transgender individuals who identify as female. Unsurprisingly, Derick’s tweet has triggered a social media firestorm that almost rivals that of Josh’s molestation scandal a couple of years ago.

Responding to commenters, the reactions among Jill’s followers on Instagram have been notable, with many expressing their disappointment at Derick’s recent actions online. While some have focused their comments on baby Samuel and how adorable he has become, many have taken issue with the fact that Derick, a grown Christian man, seems to be intent on cyberbullying a 16-year-old transgender teen. Others, many of whom are fans of the Duggars for years, have even called Derick’s actions “disgusting.”

“I am so disappointed in the meanness your husband has shown. I thought he had better character than that. I’ve watched you guys since 14 kids and always thought you were people of kindness. Your husband’s hateful bullying of a teen girl on the internet is disgusting.”

Many of Jill’s Instagram followers have even gone so far as to state that due to Derick’s unacceptable online behavior, they would stop supporting the Duggar family’s ongoing reality TV series, Counting On. Considering that Jill and Derick are missionaries, many of Jill’s followers have found the intolerance displayed by the reality TV star unacceptable.

“Me and my family will not be watching your show #CountingOn anymore. I thought you and your husband were spreading the love of Jesus on the Mission field, but yet you can bully a sixteen-year-old? That to me is not showing the love of God.”

The social media firestorm triggered by Derick’s intolerant tweet has been extremely visible, with some of the family’s online defenders finally drawing the line with Derick’s cyberbullying. In Jill’s Instagram post about baby Samuel’s photos alone, some of the Duggar daughter’s supporters have dubbed Derick’s Twitter actions as self-destruction.

“Your husband pretty much committed social media suicide. Here I’ve been trying to discourage people from posting rude comments on your IG over the past few days and then your husband goes and spews his own venom. Funny how you all went silent when your own family secrets were exposed two years ago. Leave Jazz alone.”

So far, Derick has not taken down his tweet attacking Jazz Jennings and I Am Jazz. There has been no apology or official statement from the reality TV family either. As the Counting On community reels from this latest scandal, Duggar family fans could at least rest assured that Jill and baby Samuel are both doing very well.

Jill Duggar, Derick Dillard, and their growing family star in the 19 Kids and Counting spinoff series, Counting On, which is set to begin its latest season this coming September on TLC.

[Featured Image by Jill Dillard/Instagram]