It's rare to see President Trump reference American history, but when he does, it's normally either (1) wrong or (2) evil.
Consider his tweet on Saturday, which mocked Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren using a racist slur and then seemingly referenced the Trail of Tears, the 19th century Native American genocide.
“Today Elizabeth Warren, sometimes referred to by me as Pocahontas, joined the race for President,” Trump wrote on Twitter. “Will she run as our first Native American presidential candidate, or has she decided that after 32 years, this is not playing so well anymore? See you on the campaign TRAIL, Liz!”
Today Elizabeth Warren, sometimes referred to by me as Pocahontas, joined the race for President. Will she run as our first Native American presidential candidate, or has she decided that after 32 years, this is not playing so well anymore? See you on the campaign TRAIL, Liz!
Following the Indian Removal Act of 1830, thousands of Native Americans were rounded up and forced to relocate to Oklahoma to live on reservations. Thousands of people died from hunger and disease along the way.
Critics accused the president of trivializing the 19th century genocide. Others, however, thought the president might be too dumb to make reference.
Yes, because Trump is noted for his knowledge of 19th century American history vis a vis the native population. Jeez. http://t.co/WYmvB1jg1O
It should be noted that President Trump has listed President Andrew Jackson, who shepherded the policy, as his hero. So.
The president's critics reacted with predictable shock and horror on Twitter.
These Trail of Tears jokes? They're mocking actual Cherokee families' pain. You're mocking Stacy's ancestors, my ancestors, and thousands and thousands more. We're survivors of genocide. It's not a joke. http://t.co/R9JenApTIJ
Please stop saying he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. He mocked those who were massacred at Wounded Knee and now he is targeting those killed on the Trail of Tears. His racism against Native people is informed and purposeful. http://t.co/XOswfQ7Y6G
I try to never dignify this man’s tweets, but there is little doubt here that he uses “TRAIL” to evoke the genocidal Trail of Tears, and does so to land a political jab. Warren has taken justifiable heat on this issue—but he used the murders of Indigenous people as a punchline. http://t.co/LiyK2iruDF
I’m just seeing the Trail of Tears tweet. I’m still amazed at all the stupid debates and finger wagging and tut tutting about whether it was proper to call the president racist.
Donald Trump is referencing the Trail of Tears, in which Andrew Jackson forced 16,000 Native Americans to relocate on foot through freezing temperatures. 2,000-8,000 died along the way. http://t.co/0f6OLDMZ0V
Trump put up a portrait of Andrew Jackson in the Oval Office. He knows who he is, and likely knows what he did. And even if he didn’t yet know the full history of the Trail of Tears, something called the “Trail of Tears” is usually not something that you use as fodder for a joke.
To the people replying to this tweet with like, “he just likes trails! He didn’t say anything about trail of tears even though he capped it to draw attention to it,” maybe you should explain that to Trump’s son http://t.co/LeO7s4QxQcpic.twitter.com/HdVm6U23zh
