Everyone’s Freaking Out Over President Trump’s Comments On The Civil War

A new day, a new controversy.

Today, audio surfaced of President Trump’s interview with the Washington Examiner’s Salena Zito. At some point during the interview, Trump talked about Andrew Jackson (it’s been said the two ran similar campaigns) and the Civil War. Trump asked what I assumed were rhetorical questions, like “Why was there the Civil War?” and “Why could that one not have been worked out?”

“Had Andrew Jackson been a little bit later, you wouldn’t have had the Civil War” @realDonaldTrump told @SalenaZito. Full intv at 2pE, Ch124 pic.twitter.com/d7PuRRm7Md

— SiriusXMPolitics (@SXMPolitics) May 1, 2017

“I mean, had Andrew Jackson been a little later you wouldn’t have had the Civil War,” Trump said. “He was a very tough person but he had a big heart. He was really angry that he saw with regard to the Civil War, he said ‘There’s no reason for this.'”

I should note, Jackson wasn’t alive during the Civil War.

“People don’t realize, you know, the Civil War, if you think about it, why? People don’t ask that question, but why was there the Civil War? Why could that one not have been worked out?” Trump continued.

Obviously, slavery is the simplistic answer. That was the catalyst. Generally speaking, it was a power struggle between certain states and the federal government. But yes. It was really about slavery– the moral AND economic aspects of it. Did Trump really not know that? Again, I assumed Trump was asking a rhetorical question from a deal-making standpoint. Could a strong leader have prevented the war? (To which everyone says, “no.” A deal requires compromise, and there was no compromise where slavery was concerned. It was and is wrong, and that’s that.) I love how Yoni Appelbaum of The Atlantic (I know) put it–

One hundred and sixty years ago, the founders of this magazine promised that, in politics, “It will deal frankly with persons and with parties, endeavoring always to keep in view that moral element which transcends all persons and parties, and which alone makes the basis of a true and lasting national prosperity.” Their point was that some issues aren’t personal, aren’t partisan, and aren’t amenable to compromise—that sometimes it is striking a deal which weakens a nation, and taking a principled stand which strengthens it.

 

There are some conflicts that a leader cannot suppress, no matter how strong he may be; some deals that should not be struck, no matter how alluring they may seem.

 

This was the great moral truth on which the Republican Party was founded.

 

Perhaps most people don’t know that.

Cue everyone on Twitter.

UMMM… SLAVERY. The thing southern states were most concerned about in 1861 was the right to perpetuate slavery. https://t.co/Sw3MygpvoX

— Symone D. Sanders (@SymoneDSanders) May 1, 2017

President Trump doesn’t understand why there was a Civil War.

It’s because my ancestors and millions of others were enslaved. https://t.co/dFjpbp1pUy

— Rep. Barbara Lee (@RepBarbaraLee) May 1, 2017

Trump’s remark about the Civil War though pic.twitter.com/lFXE7Dfj6P

— Griefsha Banks. (@ReconditeAgony) May 1, 2017

Trump doesn’t know why Civil War started
Trump doesn’t know AJ was already dead before CW

-These aren’t the dumbest things he’s ever said

— SnowflakePrincess (@amandablount2) May 1, 2017

And Trump prob thinks he’s not helping start the 2nd Civil War cuz he’s also a “tough guy w a big heart” https://t.co/b2xDOpk5Ab

— Jenni Gerstlauer (@gerstkitty) May 1, 2017

Andrew Jackson could have ABSOLUTELY come up with a solution to the Civil War, with his nifty brain trust of 150 slaves.

— Patrick Woodall (@EndlessPat) May 1, 2017

Andrew Jackson would have steered us away from the CIvil War because he had no issue with slaveholding. So…WTF are you saying, Donald?

— Susan Hasler (@SusanHasler) May 1, 2017

I pray Sean Spicer doesn’t call plantations “Civil War Centers” today when asked about Trump’s comments today.

— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) May 1, 2017

The Civil War is literally the #1 trending topic bc the sitting US president doesn’t understand why it happened.

This is our hell.

— Patrick Quaife (@pquaife) May 1, 2017

‘Civil War’ is trending.

Good news: it’s only about the first one. Chillax.

Bad news: it’s why we’re gonna have the second one.

— ~unintelligible~ (@ZeddRebel) May 1, 2017

Trump said that being the president is harder than he thought.

I guess so is ninth grade history based on his knowledge of the Civil War.

— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) May 1, 2017

Of course Chelsea Clinton pounced. She never misses an opportunity to show everyone how SUPER SMART she is!

1 word answer: Slavery. Longer: When Andrew Jackson died in 1845 (16 yrs before the Civil War began), he owned 150 men, women and children. https://t.co/Icg6puG2JZ

— Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) May 1, 2017

I really, really REALLY wish Trump would stop providing everyone with ammo. He’s not exactly a walking history book, like say– Newt Gingrich. Please. We don’t need to give Chelsea Clinton any more reasons to “speak up.”