Twitter Fights Back Against Trump’s War of 1812 Revisionism: Canada ‘Didn’t Even Exist’ Then
In what is being described as a “testy’ call with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, President Trump reportedly referenced the War of 1812 and implicated the nation of Canada in the burning down of the White House during the conflict.
Twitter, via Wikipedia and Google, was quick to jump on corrections for the President’s particular oral history of Canadian aggression. To much comic effect, in some cases. In others…
There were the outraged, flabbergasted, or just exasperated.
OMG, THIS IDIOT THINKS CANADA BURNED DOWN THE WHITE HOUSE IN THE WAR OF 1812.https://t.co/oUfwgXrpeO pic.twitter.com/N9LbZGbbw3
— Erick Fernandez (@ErickFernandez) June 6, 2018
Oh. My. Fucking. God. Republicans, this is your president. How proud are you? https://t.co/maDqJjZ55Y
— Markos Moulitsas (@markos) June 6, 2018
Parent: Do your history homework.
Child: No, when am I ever going to need to know it?
Parent: What if you become President?
Child: Then I can mess up historical facts at whim and no one can do anything about it. #MAGA
— Bradley P. Moss (@BradMossEsq) June 6, 2018
There were the humorous and bemused.
You’ve got to be kidding me.
(No, I didn’t fight in the War of 1812) https://t.co/mo5RFw4C3c
— John Dingell (@JohnDingell) June 6, 2018
The War of 1812 is trending proving once again that 2018 is insane.
— Roland Scahill (@rolandscahill) June 6, 2018
I’m very happy to have just learned it was the Canadian Mounties who burned Washington during the War of 1812. ?
— The American Supervolcano called YELLOWSTONE (@rrothfeldt) June 6, 2018
On the bright side, MAGA will now know what year the War of 1812 started.
— Marie Connor (@thistallawkgirl) June 6, 2018
*observes @RyanLizza silently shaking his head*
The War of 1812?
*silently nods*— Olivia Nuzzi (@Olivianuzzi) June 6, 2018
Twitter is talking the War of 1812 and I’m here for it. pic.twitter.com/o2e9gga0j6
— Rory Cooper (@rorycooper) June 6, 2018
War of 1812 searches are up for some reason. https://t.co/rIVzcF3DCU pic.twitter.com/S26IJWizJK
— Chapel Hill Library (@chpublib) June 6, 2018
He should have just cited the South Park movie.
— Radley Balko (@radleybalko) June 6, 2018
A nice shot at young Justin Trudeau.
Trudeau is going to go back to Canada all like “you guys will never believe what I just learned” https://t.co/wiscjOfEky
— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) June 6, 2018
The rare crossover news hook:
The Commander of Cheese won the War of 1812.
— Marie Connor (@thistallawkgirl) June 6, 2018
And of course, the “correcters”…
The most bizarre thing about Trump fuming at Trudeau and saying Canada burned down the White House? Canada didn’t EXIST for another 50+ years. #history https://t.co/TsOpBMybOV
— David Martosko (@dmartosko) June 6, 2018
British troops burned down the White House during the War of 1812. Historians note the British attack on Washington was in retaliation for the American attack on York, Ontario, in territory that eventually became Canada, which was then a British colony https://t.co/jzmxfP1tzM
— CNN (@CNN) June 6, 2018
So even if this was true (it’s not) what the hell would the war of 1812 have to do with steel tariffs 106 years later?
— zack odle (@ranking_z) June 6, 2018
… and those correcting those correcting Trump.
1) Canadians take Ownership of the Burning of the White House in the War of 1812;
2) Trump references this;
3) The Press, ignorant of this, mock Trump.
— Lee Doren (@LDoren) June 6, 2018
Seems @acosta is unaware that Canada was not independent of Britain in 1814. And Canadian schools still teach the burning of DC as retaliation for US burning Toronto:https://t.co/2SRFia7wwthttps://t.co/o0nfEfK7s5https://t.co/xw8DUnvCbM https://t.co/vGC2hCyMeK
— Dan McLaughlin (@baseballcrank) June 6, 2018
Seems pretty clear this was a joke and leaked by the Canadians to spite him https://t.co/yVn2zk2R1W
— Saagar Enjeti (@esaagar) June 6, 2018
Most Canadians see the war of 1812 as a Canadian war, not a British war. And the burning of the White House as a Canadian act.
— Gord Daniels (@Kind_of_Hoping) June 6, 2018
You may or may not remember something from college, high school, or elementary school. But one would think folks would remember the British taking credit for, joking about, and then apologizing for joking about the burning of the White House just four years ago.
Commemorating the 200th anniversary of burning the White House. Only sparklers this time! pic.twitter.com/QIDBQTBmmL
— British Embassy Washington (@UKinUSA) August 24, 2014
Have to disagree with the wafflers. It may be there’s good reason for someone to mistakenly believe it was Canada. But it wasn’t Canada. To quote all of Canada all the time: Sorry.
[Featured image via screengrab]
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