Lois Larson
During his Independence Day speech in 2019, former US President Donald Trump made an unusual claim that the US revolutionary army of 1775 took over airports. This comment sparked a lot of reactions and parodies on the internet, with people pointing out that air travel did not exist in the US until the early 1900s. Trump later attributed the mistake to a malfunctioning teleprompter.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Donald Trump |
| Position | President of the United States |
| Year of Comment | 2019 |
| Date of Comment | 4th of July |
| Location of Speech | Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C. |
| Theme of Speech | Salute to America/Independence Day |
| Content of Comment | "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." |
| Reason for Comment | Technical issues with the teleprompter |
| Response | Mockery and memes on Twitter |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- Donald Trump's 1775 airport comment was made during his Fourth of July speech
- The comment spurred a slew of memes
- Trump blamed the mistake on a malfunctioning teleprompter
- The Continental Army was said to have taken over every airport in North America
- The comment was made during Trump's first Independence Day address in 70 years
Donald Trump's 1775 airport comment was made during his Fourth of July speech
On July 4, 2019, former US President Donald Trump made a historical blunder during his "Salute to America" Fourth of July speech. During his tribute to the army, Trump said:
> In June of 1775, the Continental Congress created a unified army out of the revolutionary forces encamped around Boston and New York … 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 comment about airports and the Revolutionary War was incorrect, as airports and military airplanes were a 20th-century invention. The first powered flight of an airplane was officially attributed to the Wright brothers, who accomplished their feat in 1903. Trump also made another historical error in his speech, referencing the battle of Fort McHenry and "rockets' red glare", which took place during the War of 1812, not the Revolutionary War.
Trump later attributed the gaffe to the weather and a faulty teleprompter, with some US media outlets also reporting that he had difficulty reading the teleprompter.
Managing Sharp Objects: Airport Eateries' Knife Safety Protocols
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The comment spurred a slew of memes
During his Fourth of July "Salute to America" speech in 2019, then-President Donald Trump made a historical blunder when he said that the Continental Army "took over the airports" during the American Revolutionary War in the 1770s. Trump's comment, which was made during his hour-long speech at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., sparked a slew of memes on the internet, with many poking fun at the president's mistake.
One such meme, titled "The Battle of Baggage Claim (1776)", superimposed the famous painting of Washington crossing the Delaware over a photo of an airport baggage claim area. Another meme, above a sketch of Paul Revere's ride, read, "One if by land/Two if by sea/ Three if arriving at Terminal C."
The hashtag #RevolutionaryWarAirportStories also trended on Twitter, with users writing comical parodies in the form of letters from Revolutionary War soldiers about their airport woes. One such tweet from historian Seth Cotlar, who teaches US history at Willamette University, read: "Put ye powder hornes and buckled shoes in ye olde bins. Poultices over 3 ounces must be left with the magistrate and can be retrieved at ye postmaster’s office upon return. Muskets and pipes are stryctly forbidden on board ye airecrafte."
Another tweet from LionO*s_Jungle joked about whether George Washington could board an aircraft with his horse as an emotional support animal: "Will my Emotional Support Animal require an extra seat?" A third tweet from Damian Ayers featured an image of the famously tight-lipped George Washington and read: "When you find out your flight has been cancelled due to bad weather and you and the Continental Army have to spend time in Valley Forge."
Trump later explained outside the White House that the teleprompter he was using to deliver his speech had experienced some technical difficulties due to the rain. However, some media outlets attributed the mistake to difficulty reading the teleprompter, with speculation that Trump needed glasses but was too vain to wear them.
Finding Oshkosh: Which Airport Services the Iconic City?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Trump blamed the mistake on a malfunctioning teleprompter
During his Fourth of July Salute to America speech in 2019, former US President Donald Trump claimed that the Continental Army "took over the airports" from the British during the American Revolutionary War in the 1770s. This statement was quickly pointed out to be historically inaccurate, as air travel did not exist in the US until the early 1900s.
Trump, who had previously criticized the use of teleprompters by other politicians, blamed the mistake on a malfunctioning teleprompter. He claimed that the teleprompter went "kaput" due to rain, making it difficult to read. Outside the White House, he told reporters:
> "I knew the speech very well so I was able to do it without a teleprompter but the teleprompter did go out and it was actually hard to look at anyway because there was rain all over it but despite the rain, it was just a fantastic evening."
Trump's explanation for the gaffe did little to quell the criticism he received for the error. His critics had already derided the event as inappropriately partisan and a misuse of public funds, with military tanks and a flyover by the Navy Blue Angels aerobatics team being involved in the celebrations.
In addition to the airport comment, Trump also made another historical blunder in his speech by mixing up the War of 1812 with the War of Independence. This further compounded the issues with his statements regarding US history.
The Malaysia Airport Shopping Guide for Travelers
You may want to see also
The Continental Army was said to have taken over every airport in North America
During his Fourth of July "Salute to America" speech in 2019, former US President Donald Trump made a historical blunder when he stated that the Continental Army "took over the airports" from the British during the American Revolutionary War in the 1770s. 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."
Trump's comment sparked a flurry of memes and parodies on the internet, with people imagining what it would have been like if airports existed during the Revolutionary War. Despite the lighthearted response from some, Trump's mistake was notable given that air travel did not exist in the US until the early 1900s, with the Wright brothers making the first plane flight in 1903.
While it is true that the Continental Army did not take over airports in 1775, it is worth noting that the Continental Congress did create a unified Continental Army in June of that year. This army fought against the British during the American Revolutionary War, achieving notable victories and ultimately gaining independence for the thirteen American colonies.
Brussels Airports: Which One Should You Choose?
You may want to see also
The comment was made during Trump's first Independence Day address in 70 years
During his first Independence Day address in 70 years, Donald Trump made a historical blunder in his July 4th speech. In his hour-long address at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., Trump praised the American military efforts in the war against Great Britain. He said:
> "In June of 1775, the Continental Congress created a unified army out of the revolutionary..."
He then went on to say:
> “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 comment about airports in 1775 was incorrect, as air travel did not occur in the US until the early 1900s. The Wright brothers, whom Trump praised earlier in his speech, are credited with flying the world’s first plane in 1903. The comment was attributed by some US media outlets to difficulty reading the teleprompter, with Trump himself later noting that the teleprompter had experienced technical difficulties.
Istanbul Airport: Shelter Availability and Passenger Comfort
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Former US President Donald Trump made the 1775 airport comment.
During a Fourth of July speech in 2019, Trump claimed that the Continental Army "took over the airports" during the American Revolutionary War in the 1770s.
The comment sparked a lot of reactions on Twitter, with people making jokes and creating memes about the historical inaccuracy of the statement.
