Trump Defends Confederate Flags as a Freedom of Speech Issue: I Know People That Like It ‘And They’re Not Thinking About Slavery’
President Donald Trump said in a new interview Tuesday that he considers displays of the Confederate flag a freedom of speech issue.
The president recently received criticism for his opposition to renaming military bases named for Confederate leaders, following reports that military leaders were open to discussions on the matter. Recently the Navy and Marine Corps both moved to ban displays of the Confederate flag.
NASCAR also announced it would be banning displays of the Confederate flag. In a tweet last week swiping at Bubba Wallace, the president said that incident “& Flag decision” led to NASCAR getting low ratings.
Has @BubbaWallace apologized to all of those great NASCAR drivers & officials who came to his aid, stood by his side, & were willing to sacrifice everything for him, only to find out that the whole thing was just another HOAX? That & Flag decision has caused lowest ratings EVER!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 6, 2020
CBS News’ Catherine Herridge spoke with the president Tuesday and pointed out that in 2015, when asked if he thinks the Confederate flag flying above the South Carolina state house needs to go, said, “I think it probably does, and I think they should put it in the museum.”
“Do you still believe that?” Herridge asked.
“All I say is freedom of speech,” Trump responded. “It’s very simple. My attitude is freedom of speech. Very strong views on the Confederate flag. With me it’s freedom o speech, very simple. Like it, don’t like it, it’s freedom of speech.”
Herridge asked the president if he would be comfortable with his supporters displaying the Confederate flag at political events.
“It depends on what your definition is,” the president responded, “but I am comfortable with freedom of speech. It’s very simple.”
“But you understand why the flag is a painful symbol for many people because it’s a reminder of slavery,” Herridge pointed out.
“Well, people love it, and I don’t view — I know people that like the Confederate flag and they’re not thinking about slavery,” he said. “I just think it’s freedom of speech, whether it’s Confederate flags or Black Lives Matter or anything else you want to talk about.”
This came in the same interview where the president responded to a question about black people being killed by police offers by saying “so are white people.”
You can watch above, via CBSN.
