by Jason Hopkins
NBC News has issued a correction over its reporting on President Donald Trump’s Civil War comments, acknowledging that the president did not actually describe Confederate General Robert E. Lee as “incredible.”
CORRECTION: An earlier tweet misidentified the general President Trump described as "incredible" at a rally in Ohio. It was Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, not Gen. Robert E. Lee. An attached video clip lacked the full context for Trump's remark. Here is the full clip. pic.twitter.com/NZHj3Q2dHL
— NBC News (@NBCNews) October 14, 2018
The correction is in reference to the following tweet NBC sent on Friday night, when Trump held a campaign rally in Lebanon. Ohio.
WATCH: President Trump says "Robert E. Lee was a great general" during Ohio rally, calling the Confederate leader "incredible." pic.twitter.com/HhsLI1Mk05
— NBC News (@NBCNews) October 13, 2018
NBC News did not include Trump’s comments in full when it claimed Trump was calling Lee “incredible.” When looking at his comments just a few seconds sooner, it’s clear that the president was calling Ulysses S. Grant, the general of the Union army, incredible — not Lee.
“Ohio is the state that gave us a great president who hasn’t been properly recognized, OK? William McKinley has not been properly recognized. What he did in terms of trade, in terms of war, but in terms of trade — and I hate to say, in being smart in terms of tariffs, William McKinley has not been properly recognized. But maybe someday he will,” president Trump said during the Friday rally.”
“It also gave you a general who was incredible. He drank a little bit too much. You know who I’m talking about, right? So Robert E. Lee was a great general. And Abraham Lincoln Developed a phobia. He couldn’t beat Robert E. Lee. … They said ‘Don’t take him; he’s got a drinking problem.’ And Lincoln said, ‘I don’t care what problem he has. You guys aren’t winning.’ And his name was Grant, General Grant,” Trump explained.
The comments were in clear reference to Grant, a man who was born in Ohio and was known for his battles with alcoholism.
NBC’s correction comes after Trump skewered the network on Sunday morning for distorting his speech.
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
The president later thanked NBC for correcting its tweet.
Thank you to NBC for the correction! https://t.co/L2mX3vREOl
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 14, 2018
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Jason Hopkins is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation. Follow Jason on Twitter.
