In alargely apolitical speech for the Fourth of Julycommemorating the history of America’s triumphs, PresidentDonald Trumpgot a bit of America’s history wrong when he referred to the Continental Army “[taking] over airports” while fighting the British in the Revolutionary War.
As his criticswere quick to retort on Twitter— his preferred medium of slamming rivals himself — airplanes were more than a century away from being invented.
The hashtag#RevolutionaryWarAirportStoriesalso drew thousands of retweets as users mockingly riffed on the mistake.
“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. … Our army manned the air, it rammed the ramparts, it took over the airports, it did everything it had to do,” the president said in his Thursday night speech,according toUSA Today.
He continued: “At Fort McHenry, under the rocket’s red glare it had nothing but victory. And when dawn came, their star-spangled banner waved defiant.”
Trump also insisted on a military presence at the event, drawing cries that he was behaving more like an authoritarian in China or Russia.
“Put troops out there so we can thank them — leave tanks for Red Square,” one retired generaltold theTimes.
Alex Brandon/AP/Shutterstock
The “Salute to America” event on Thursday at the Lincoln Memorial.
Elsewhere in his Fourth speech, Trump celebrated the various branches of the armed services and singled out Americans including Harriet Tubman, per theTimes.
He did not mention the usual objects of his fixation, including his Democratic rivals andRobert Mueller, who investigated his Russia ties.
“As long as we stay true to our cause — as long as we remember our great history — as long as we never, ever stop fighting for a better future — then there will be nothing that America cannot do,” he said.
source: people.com
