Trump's Airport Remarks: A Storm In A Teacup

During his 'Salute to America' speech on July 4, 2019, President Donald Trump claimed that the Continental Army took over the airports during the American Revolutionary War. This statement, which was part of a tribute to the army, was met with confusion and amusement by many listeners, as airports and military airplanes were not invented until the 20th century. Trump later blamed a faulty teleprompter for the error, but this claim was disputed by some who noted that he had previously mocked his predecessor, Barack Obama, for using teleprompters during speeches.

Trump claims Continental Army 'took over airports' in the Revolutionary War

During his Fourth of July "Salute to America" speech in 2019, President Donald Trump claimed that the Continental Army "took over the airports" from the British during the American Revolutionary War in the 1770s.

Trump's exact words were:

> "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, and at Fort McHenry, under the rockets' red glare, it had nothing but victory."

Trump's reference to airports during the Revolutionary War was incorrect, as airports and military airplanes are a 20th-century invention. The first powered flight of an airplane was officially achieved by the Wright brothers in 1903. Trump's comment sparked a series of memes and comical parodies on Twitter, with hashtags like #RevolutionaryWarAirports and #RevolutionaryWarAirportStories.

Trump later blamed technical problems with the teleprompter for his remarks about airports during the Revolutionary War. He claimed that the teleprompter had experienced some issues due to the rain during his speech. However, this was not the only historical confusion in this section of Trump's speech. He also mistakenly referred to the Battle of Fort McHenry as taking place during the Revolutionary War, when it actually occurred during the War of 1812.

Trump blames the teleprompter for his Revolutionary War 'airports' gaffe

During his Fourth of July speech in 2019, former US President Donald Trump made a confusing and ahistorical reference to soldiers seizing airports during the Revolutionary War. In his "Salute to America" address, Trump said:

> "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."

Obviously, airports did not exist in the 1770s, and the first airport in the United States didn't open until 1909. Hot-air balloons weren't employed by American forces until the Civil War, and the first powered flight didn't take off until 1903.

Trump, who had previously mocked his predecessor Barack Obama and his former opponent Hillary Clinton for using teleprompters, blamed his gaffe on a weather-induced teleprompter failure. He told reporters that the heavy rain "knocked out" his teleprompter in the middle of that sentence. He said:

> "The teleprompter went out, right in the middle of that sentence, it just went out, it went kaput, and that's not a good feeling when you're standing in front of millions and millions of people on television. [...] I knew the speech very well. I was able to do it without a teleprompter. But the teleprompter did go out. It was actually hard to look at anyway because it was rain all over it."

Twitter users mock Trump's Revolutionary War 'airports' claim

During his Fourth of July "Salute to America" speech in 2019, President Donald Trump claimed that the Continental Army "took over the airports" from the British during the American Revolutionary War. This statement, however, was historically inaccurate as it was made over a century before the first airplane was invented. Trump's remarks sparked a wave of satirical responses and comical parodies on Twitter, with hashtags like #RevolutionaryWarAirports and #RevolutionaryWarAirportStories trending.

One Twitter user, Covfefe Shecky Jones, posted a parody letter written by a Revolutionary War soldier about their airport woes, titled "The Battle of Baggage Claim (1776)". The tweet read, "Many Lives were lost. And Bags too. Some people are saying it was the worst massacre they had ever seen." Another user, Shawna, also joined in with mocking material, while a US history professor from Willamette University, Seth Cotlar, used old English language to satirically retell Trump's claim.

Trump's comments were not an isolated incident of historical inaccuracy. In 2017, he argued that Andrew Jackson, who died 16 years before the Civil War started, could have prevented it. During a phone call with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2018, Trump incorrectly attributed the burning of the White House during the War of 1812 to the Canadians when it was, in fact, the British who were responsible.

While Trump initially blamed a teleprompter issue for his "airports" comment, this did not stop the spread of memes and satirical content on the internet. Podcast host Joe Rogan, however, mistakenly attributed the claim to President Biden, stating that "it's just, people are so afraid of Trump being in office, of Republicans being in office."

Trump praises the Continental Army's efforts in the Revolutionary War

In a July Fourth "Salute to America" speech, former US President Donald Trump praised the Continental Army for their efforts in the Revolutionary War. However, he faced criticism for claiming that the Continental Army took over the airports from the British during the American Revolutionary War. Airports and military airplanes did not exist until the 20th century, with the first powered flight of an airplane officially recorded in 1903.

Trump's exact words were:

> 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.

The Continental Army was the first official army of the United States, formed by the Second Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, in Philadelphia. The army consisted of soldiers from all 13 colonies and later, all 13 states. General George Washington was appointed commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, a role he served without pay, and maintained this position throughout the war.

The Continental Army bore the brunt of the fighting against the British, engaging in numerous skirmishes, minor battles, and over a dozen major full-blown set-piece battles. Despite initial shortcomings in training and equipment, the army evolved into a professional, European-style military force by 1780. Over 230,000 soldiers served in the Continental Army, with a maximum of 48,000 serving at any one time. The army suffered heavy casualties, with up to 8,000 soldiers killed in battle and twice that number dying from illness or starvation.

Trump's remarks about airports during the Revolutionary War were not the first time he had made history-related errors during his presidency. In 2017, he incorrectly stated that Andrew Jackson could have prevented the Civil War, despite Jackson having died 16 years before the war began.

Trump's Independence Day speech was surprisingly scripted

On the Fourth of July, 2019, Donald Trump gave a surprisingly scripted speech at the Lincoln Memorial as part of his "Salute to America" celebrations. This made him the first US president in nearly 70 years to address the country on Independence Day. Trump's speech outlined the history of Independence Day and American achievements across various fields. He also paid tribute to each branch of the military, with each section followed by a flyover of aircraft and the playing of the official song of each military branch. Despite fears from critics that Trump would use his speech to politicise the day, his address was largely patriotic and non-partisan. There were only a few attempts by Trump to link the achievements of the country with his administration.

Trump's unique interpretation of the declaration of independence was on full display when he staged a militaristic and jingoistic celebration at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. Standing with First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and Acting Defense Secretary Mark Esper, Trump hailed the "heroes who defend our country" in his controversial address. In a rare plea for unity, he told the crowd:

> "We are one people chasing one dream and one magnificent destiny."

Trump's speech also saw the resurfacing of the mention of "Space Force," with the promise that America would "plant the American flag on Mars." Trump urged people in the crowd to join the military, and he outlined the history of American achievement in various fields, singling out various special invited guests. Overall, Trump's Independence Day speech was surprisingly scripted and focused on celebrating American unity and achievement.

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