Trump lashes out at NBC News for ‘purposely’ changing meaning of his Robert E. Lee story
President Trump has lashed out at NBC News over its characterization of his comments on Confederate leader Robert E. Lee.
NBC News has totally and purposely changed the point and meaning of my story about General Robert E Lee and General Ulysses Grant. Was actually a shoutout to warrior Grant and the great state in which he was born. As usual, dishonest reporting. Even mainstream media embarrassed!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 14, 2018
Trump tweeted Sunday: “NBC News has totally and purposely changed the point and meaning of my story about General Robert E Lee and General Ulysses Grant. Was actually a shoutout to warrior Grant and the great state in which he was born. As usual, dishonest reporting. Even mainstream media embarrassed!”
He was likely referring to an NBC News tweet from Friday which states: “President Trump says ‘Robert E. Lee was a great general’ during Ohio rally, calling the Confederate leader ‘incredible.’”
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In the accompanying video clip from his Friday night rally in Lebanon, Trump can be seen saying about the state of Ohio, “It also gave you a general, who was incredible. He drank a little bit too much.”
Trump was referring to Union General Ulysses S. Grant, an Ohio native who the president says “went in and he knocked the hell out of everyone” during the Civil War on behalf of Abraham Lincoln.
However, in setting up his story about Grant, Trump ended up praising Lee multiple times, calling him a “great general” and talking about his prowess on the battlefield.
Trump has previously defended the presence of Confederate statues including Lee’s, despite what many view as their representation of slavery and racism in the U.S.
