Former US President Donald Trump faced criticism and mockery after his recent rally in Pennsylvania, where he made reference to the “beautiful” Battle of Gettysburg. Trump, sporting a Make America Great hat, discussed the significance of the historic Civil War battle, calling it “unbelievable” and “vicious and horrible, and so beautiful in so many different ways.”
The Battle of Gettysburg, which took place over three days in 1863, was the deadliest of the Civil War, with over 50,000 casualties. Trump quoted Confederate general Robert E. Lee, saying, “Never fight uphill, me boys,” and suggested that Lee lost the battle because he fought uphill.
Social media users quickly criticized Trump’s comments, with many questioning his knowledge of history and suggesting he should not try to be a historian. One user wrote, “Donald Trump doesn’t know the first thing about The Battle of Gettysburg. His lack of in-depth knowledge quickly reveals itself.” Another compared Trump’s mention of the battle to “an essay question on the test you didn’t study for.”
This is not the first time Trump has made controversial comments about the Civil War. In a rally earlier this year, he claimed the conflict “could have been negotiated” and suggested it was “so horrible, but so fascinating.” Critics have blasted Trump for his remarks, questioning how he could describe a war that resulted in so much death as “beautiful.”