Airports During Revolution: Trump's Misguided Historical Claims

In a 2019 Fourth of July speech, former US President Donald Trump claimed that the Continental Army took over the airports during the American Revolutionary War in the 1770s. This statement, made during a Salute to America event in Washington, D.C., sparked humorous reactions on social media, particularly on Twitter, where hashtags like #RevolutionaryWarAirports and #RevolutionaryWarAirportStories trended. While some people created memes and shared altered images of famous Revolutionary War artwork, others wrote comical parodies in the form of letters from soldiers about their airport troubles. Trump later blamed a faulty teleprompter for the mistake, but this did not stop the online jokes and discussions about his comment.

Trump's claim that the Continental Army took over airports in 1775

During a Fourth of July "Salute to America" speech in 2019, former US President Donald Trump claimed that the Continental Army "took over the airports" during the American Revolutionary War in the 1770s. The full quote from his speech was:

> Our army manned the air, it rammed the ramparts, it took over the airports, it did everything it had to do. And at Fort McHenry, under the rockets' red glare, it had nothing but victory. And when dawn came, their Star Spangled Banner waved defiant.

Trump's statement was erroneous as airports and military airplanes were not introduced until the 20th century, with the first successful airplane flown in 1903. Trump later blamed a faulty teleprompter for the mistake, telling NBC News, "The teleprompter went out... it just went kaput."

Trump's comment sparked a wave of humorous responses on social media, with Twitter users inventing airport-related stories from the perspective of Revolutionary War soldiers. Hashtags such as #RevolutionaryWarAirports and #RevolutionaryWarAirportStories trended, and memes poking fun at Trump's gaffe circulated online.

Trump's 2019 Independence Day speech

On July 4, 2019, former US President Donald Trump gave a 45-minute speech during a rain-soaked Independence Day celebration in Washington, DC. The event, called "Salute to America", featured military hardware such as tanks and aircraft on parade.

Trump's speech included a description of the American Revolutionary War, in which he remarked:

> The Continental Army suffered a bitter winter of Valley Forge, found glory across the waters of the Delaware, and seized victory from Cornwallis of Yorktown. Our army manned the air, it rammed the ramparts, it took over the airports, it did everything it had to do. And at Fort McHenry, under the rockets' red glare, it had nothing but victory. And when dawn came, their Star-Spangled Banner waved defiant.

Trump's reference to airports was erroneous, as no airports existed in the 18th century—the first successful airplane flight took place in 1903. This comment sparked a wave of jokes and memes on Twitter, with people adding imagined references to air travel within established history. The hashtag #revolutionarywarairportstories was used nearly 4,000 times, and the term "Revolutionary War" was used more than 16,000 times.

Trump later blamed a faulty teleprompter for the mistake, telling NBC News:

> The teleprompter went out. It kept going on, and then at the end, it just went out. It went kaput.

Trump's Independence Day speech also included references to various military branches, including the Coast Guard, the Air Force, the Navy, and the Marines. He highlighted their history, achievements, and sacrifices while showcasing their latest technology and equipment.

Trump concluded his speech by saying:

> We will always be the people who defeated a tyrant, crossed a continent, harnessed science, took to the skies, and soared into the heavens, because we will never forget that we are Americans, and the future belongs to us. The future belongs to the brave, the strong, the proud, and the free. We are one people chasing one dream and one magnificent destiny. We all share the same heroes, the same home, the same heart, and we are all made by the same Almighty God.

Twitter's response to Trump's airport comment

Twitter users were quick to respond to former US President Donald Trump's comment about airports during his 2019 Independence Day address. In his speech, Trump claimed that the Continental Army "took over the airports" during the Revolutionary War against Britain in the late 18th century. This statement stood out as airports did not exist during that time period, with the first successful plane flight occurring over a hundred years later in 1903.

The hashtag #revolutionarywarairportstories was soon trending on Twitter, with users adding their own imaginative references to air travel within historical contexts. Twitter user @King_Of_Shade, for instance, invented the "Battle of Baggage Claim" in 1776. Another user, @Jungle_os, jokingly questioned where George Washington's horse would be stored on an airplane. The hashtag was used nearly 4,000 times, while the term "Revolutionary War" was mentioned more than 16,000 times on the platform.

Some Twitter users also shared altered images of famous Revolutionary War artwork edited onto photographs of airports, adding to the light-hearted nature of the trend. While some users joined in on the fun, others took the opportunity to criticise Trump's speech. Aazami Shervin, for instance, pointed out that Trump's mention of Fort McHenry referred to the War of 1812 rather than the Revolutionary War.

Despite the light-hearted responses and criticisms, some supporters of the former president praised his speech, with one Twitter user, Patricia A Valenti-R, calling it "powerful and uplifting".

Trump's other historical errors

Donald Trump has made a number of historical errors during his time as US President. Here are some examples:

• In a 2019 Independence Day address, Trump claimed that the Continental Army "took over the airports" during the revolutionary war against Britain in the 18th century. This is factually inaccurate as the first successful plane to take flight was in 1903.
• Trump has also been known to misquote historical figures. In one instance, he incorrectly quoted a famous saying by Frederick Douglass, an American social reformer who escaped from slavery. Trump's error was widely criticised, with some calling it a "bizarre misquote".
• During a 2017 speech at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Trump referred to Frederick Douglass as "somebody who has done an amazing job and is being recognised more and more, I notice". This statement implied that Douglass, who died in 1895, was still alive.
• In 2019, Trump claimed that Andrew Jackson, the seventh US President, could have prevented the Civil War. However, Jackson died 16 years before the war began. Some historians criticised this claim, calling it a "mind-boggling misunderstanding of history".
• In 2017, Trump stated that "people don't ask that question" when referring to why the Civil War was fought. This statement ignored the fact that the Civil War was primarily fought over the issue of slavery.
• Trump has also made erroneous claims about World War I. In 2018, he stated that "Germany is totally controlled by Russia" and that the two countries are "getting a lot of their oil" from Russia. However, Germany imports very little oil from Russia and has diverse energy sources.

These examples demonstrate a pattern of historical errors made by Trump during his presidency. While some may attribute these mistakes to a simple lack of knowledge, others view them as a distortion of history to suit his political agenda.

The first successful plane flight in 1903

In 2019, during a Fourth of July address, then-US President Donald Trump claimed that the Continental Army "took over the airports" during the Revolutionary War against Britain in the late 18th century. This statement sparked a flurry of jokes and memes on Twitter, as people imagined what the Revolutionary War might have looked like with airports. However, the first successful plane flight didn't take place until 1903, over a hundred years later.

On December 17, 1903, near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, Orville and Wilbur Wright made history with the first successful flight of a self-propelled, heavier-than-air aircraft. Orville piloted the gasoline-powered, propeller-driven biplane, which stayed aloft for 12 seconds and covered 120 feet on its inaugural flight. This momentous achievement marked the beginning of the modern aviation age.

The Wright brothers' journey to this historic flight began in the 1890s when they developed an interest in aviation after learning about the glider flights of German engineer Otto Lilienthal. Unlike their older brothers, Orville and Wilbur did not attend college, but they possessed extraordinary technical abilities and a sophisticated approach to solving problems in mechanical design. They opened a bicycle sales and repair shop and soon began building their own bicycles. This experience, combined with the profits from their businesses, allowed them to pursue their dream of building an airplane.

The Wright brothers conducted extensive research on other engineers' efforts to build a heavier-than-air, controlled aircraft. They corresponded with the U.S. Weather Bureau and chose Kitty Hawk, an isolated village in North Carolina, as their test site due to its steady winds and sand dunes for soft landings. Their early glider experiments were frustrating, but they persevered and eventually solved the problems of sustained lift and in-flight control.

In 1903, the Wright brothers returned to Kitty Hawk with a new aircraft powered by their own lightweight engine design. On December 14, Wilbur made the first attempt at powered flight, but the engine stalled, and the plane was damaged. After three days of repairs, on December 17, it was Orville's turn to try. At 10:35 a.m., the aircraft ran down a monorail track and into the air, staying aloft for 12 seconds and flying 120 feet. The Wright brothers took turns flying the airplane three more times that day, with Wilbur's final flight covering 852 feet in 59 seconds.

The Wright brothers' successful flight was the culmination of years of experimentation and innovation. They not only achieved the first flight of an airplane but also laid the foundation for aeronautical engineering. Their use of a wind tunnel and flight testing as design tools pioneered many of the basic tenets and techniques of modern aeronautical engineering. The historic Wright Flyer, also known as the Kitty Hawk Flyer, is now on permanent display at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.

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