While speaking at the Lincoln Memorial for his Fourth of July celebration, “Salute to America,” President Donald Trump celebrated the country and apparently rewrote its history. During the 45-minute speech, Trump referred to the Continental Army “[taking] over airports” while fighting the British in the Revolutionary War, which lasted from 1775-1783, more than a century before Wilbur and Orville Wright invented the first successful airplane.
As @kendallybrown points out, Trump, while struggling to read in this clip, claims that the American military “took over the airports” during a battle that took place well before airplanes were even invented pic.twitter.com/DiJDLWcDYb
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 4, 2019
“In June of 1775, the Continental Congress created a unified army out of the Revolutionary Forces encamped around Boston and New York and named after the great George Washington, commander in chief,” Trump said, according to USA Today.
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Of course, the stumble, which was prompted when he had difficulty reading from a teleprompter, was quickly pointed out by one viewers online.
Trump just said the army took over the airports during the Revolutionary War.
That’s, um, 127 years before the airplane was invented. https://t.co/gnzaibATR5
— Mikel Jollett (@Mikel_Jollett) July 5, 2019
In the hours since the rain-soaked speech, dozens of more of Trump’s critics have flooded social media to point out the inaccuracy in his speech, and that hashtag [Revolutionary War Airport Stories] has since begun to trend.
“Dearest George,” one person joined the hashtag. “We never expect to find ourselves in Laguardia airport fighting through the TSA line. We prayed hard but never made it to the gate. Remember us fondly. Do not let our struggle be for naught.”
Apparently there may be some misinformation going around about #RevolutionaryWarAirports. This image is often said to be from the Battle of LaGuardia, when in fact it is from the Battle of White Planes. (Note the chemtrails, a deciding factor in the outcome.) pic.twitter.com/abAsNFjFdy
— The ’60s at 50 (@the_60s_at_50) July 5, 2019
“Dearest Betsy: It was the most hellish of flights across the Potomac. I sat beside a gentleman extolling the virtues of The Mad king. He wore a red cap emblazoned with the slogan ‘Make the Colonies Great Again’.Next time I’ll take a boat,” another wrote. “Love George.”
Airports allegedly existing in the 1700s was not the only historical error made during the speech, as Trump also seemingly mixed up the War of 1812, during which the battle at Fort McHenry occurred and likewise inspired Francis Scott Key to write “The Star-Spangled Banner,” with the American Revolution.
“Our army manned the air, it rammed the ramparts, it took over the airports, it did everything it had to do,” he said. “At Fort McHenry, under the rocket’s red glare it had nothing but victory. And when dawn came, their star-spangled banner waved defiant.”
The hour-long speech also included Trump promising to go “back on the Moon very soon, and someday soon, we will plant the American flag on Mars.”
