Donald Trump delivered the commencement address at the Naval Academy on Friday, and it didn’t come without controversy.
In his speech, the 45th president told the crowd of Navy graduates that “our ancestors tamed a continent.”
He continued on, saying, “we are not going to apologize for America. We know the truth, will speak the truth, and defend that truth. America is the greatest fighting force for peace, justice, and freedom in the history of the world.”
With what seems to be a very limited understanding of American history, Trump has proven to be continuously offensive — especially regarding Native American history. Coincidentally, Trump has often praised and compared his presidency to that of former President Andrew Jackson. Jackson is most known for signing the Indian Removal Act into legislation. The law resulted in the genocide of Native Americans by forcing them to move to lands west of the Mississippi River.
Trump also hosted an event to honor Native Americans all while an image of Andrew Jackson hung behind his guests. During the event, Trump took a jab at Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren by referring to her as “Pocahontas” because of her claims of having Native American ancestry.
Twitter fired back at the President for his racially insensitive comments, but there’s no telling if he’ll ever learn.
This shameful bigot:
“Trump said at a Naval Academy commencement address Friday that “our ancestors tamed a continent,” adding that “we are not going to apologize for America.”” https://t.co/SOqpuYz5jU— Amy Siskind 🏳️🌈 (@Amy_Siskind) May 26, 2018
Ok, so y'alls little President is out here praising genocide.
— 🇯🇲Black🇭🇹Aziz🇳🇬aNANsi🇹🇹 (@Freeyourmindkid) May 25, 2018
Absolutely disgraceful to state that the mass genocide of Native Americans and 400 year slave trade of millions of Africans is “taming a continent.”
Such rhetoric is literally praising white supremacy terrorism, slavery, and genocide. Smhhttps://t.co/xalBeVf1Iu
— Qasim Rashid for Congress (@QasimRashid) May 25, 2018
If you had any doubt Trump is anti-Native here he is glorifying genocide. “Our ancestors tamed a continent, we are not going to apologize for America”. https://t.co/dOpujHg4xJ
— cherrywaves🦦 (@heather28df) May 26, 2018
