Twitter went wild on Monday morning over President Trump’s comments in praise of slave owner Andrew Jackson, and his declaration that the seventh president of the United States would have prevented the Civil War. “Why was there the Civil War?” Trump even asked.
Jackson died 16 years before the Civil War started. His term as president ended 24 years before the war kicked off.
“I mean, had Andrew Jackson been a little bit later, you wouldn’t have had the civil war. He was a very tough person, but he had a big heart and he was really angry that he saw what was happening in regard to the Civil War,” Trump told Salena Zito of the Washington Examiner.
Chelsea Clinton offered an answer to Trump’s question. She tweeted that “slavery” is the reason why there was a war.
Here's Trump's full answer on "swashbuckler" Andrew Jackson and the Civil War: "Why could that one not have been worked out?" pic.twitter.com/Zb8OQaDqyq
— Edward-Isaac Dovere (@IsaacDovere) May 1, 2017
It would have been tough for Jackson to be “very angry” about the Civil War considering he died over a decade before it began. Jackson, a populist who railed against the educated elites of his time, occupied the White House from 1829 to 1837 and died in 1845, while the Civil War began in 1861.
Jackson was born in the Carolinas and began his political career in Tennessee. Historians consider him a Southerner at heart who owned slaves and forced Native Americans from their homes in what became known as the Trail of Tears.
Trump has a portrait of Jackson in the Oval Office and recently paid homage to Jackson by celebrating his 250th birthday with a visit to his Tennessee home.
Twitter quickly mocked the president for his comments, which will air today on SiriusXM P.O.T.U.S.’s “Main Street Meets the Beltway” at 2 p.m. ET.
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
https://twitter.com/GeeGeeAkili/status/859033677833154560
Andrew Jackson is the President who would have cured polio, probably, if he had been an immortal wizard instead of a violently racist man
— Arby’s Provocateur (@SamGrittner) May 1, 2017
Trump said Andrew Jackson "had a big heart" which is probably true because of infectious disease and heavy drinking in his youth
— ¡BUM CHILLUPS AKA SPENCER HALL! (@edsbs) May 1, 2017
Whatever you think of Andrew Jackson, he is still the president who got our country through the Bowling Green Massacre.
— Marie Connor (@thistallawkgirl) May 1, 2017
He saw the movie "The Buccaneer" about the War of 1812 with Charlton Heston as Jackson and thought it was a documentary about the Civil War. https://t.co/0I7QrgKXqX
— Bill Harnsberger (@BillinPortland) May 1, 2017
He should ask Andrew Jackson and Frederick Douglass why it happened. https://t.co/ZnaakQVo91
— Ray Reynolds- (@cr8f) May 1, 2017
Trump: Andrew Jackson hated the Civil War.
Reporter: Jackson died before the Civil War.
Trump: Fake news.— Donald J Orwell (@DonaldJOrwell) May 1, 2017
Plus, I mean look, there is no way around Andrew Jackson being a racist monster. That guy being able to avert the Civil War seems unlikely
— Justin Harwood (@SDHero) May 1, 2017
Andrew Jackson: not the only president to own slaves, but the only president (that we know of) to kill a man in a duel.
— Mαtt Thomαs (@mattthomas) May 1, 2017
BREAKING: Trump says Andrew Jackson, was "really angry" the way Franz Ferdinand was assassinated
— View from my Office (@viewfrommyoffic) May 1, 2017
Can't wait to see all the illiterate Trumpers defend the Cheeto in Chiefs comment about Andrew Jackson & the Civil War pic.twitter.com/N23hK0T55M
— Just A Nerd (@ANerdsMind) May 1, 2017
https://twitter.com/EvanWiddis/status/859049746735955968
https://twitter.com/luluontheshoe/status/859049655325212672
https://twitter.com/DragonRift/status/859049575536971776
Pay attention to Trump's comments about Andrew Jackson, who owned over 100 slaves, his implying we'd still have slaves had he been POTUS.
— Bekah Freitas (@rebekahkfreitas) May 1, 2017
Historian @realDonaldTrump to somebody called @SalenaZito. And Andrew Jackson said "Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?" #Help pic.twitter.com/m85HaNfjsF
— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) May 1, 2017
Andrew Jackson
1) owned slaves.
2)Trail of Tears
3)Not Sure he would have been able to "work out" Civil War. Being dead 15 years.#Trump— Mr. Marie ❣️ (@FordMcCartney) May 1, 2017