At a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday, former President Donald Trump offered a rambling account of the Battle of Gettysburg, prompting criticism from historians and political observers. His remarks included a claim about Robert E. Lee’s tactical preferences and a curious observation that the Confederate general was “no longer in favor.”
Trump described Gettysburg as “an unbelievable battle” and “beautiful in so many different ways,” according to reports from HuffPost and Newsweek. He recounted a supposed statement from Lee advising his troops, “Never fight uphill, me boys, never fight uphill.” Trump noted that Lee apparently recognized this as a “big mistake” after losing a general while fighting on elevated ground. The former president’s retelling was punctuated by odd facial expressions from an individual standing behind him, captured in a video shared widely on social media.
T.J. Stiles, a Civil War historian, labeled Trump’s comments “unhinged” in a post on X, formerly Twitter, as reported by Newsweek. Other commentators, including author Stephen King, expressed bewilderment at the presentation, with King calling Trump a “dimbulb” in a social media post. A clip of Trump’s remarks, posted by Aaron Rupar, quickly circulated online, drawing further scrutiny.
The remarks come as Trump continues to hold campaign rallies ahead of the 2024 presidential election. His attempt to contextualize the battle, which claimed over 50,000 casualties, drew comparisons to scenes from the “Pirates of the Caribbean” films, according to one observer quoted by HuffPost. Trump has been noted for verbal miscues and gaffes in recent public appearances, but his Gettysburg commentary stood out for its unconventional nature.
According to NJ.com, Trump also stated that the Union was saved by “the immortal heroes at Gettysburg.” No immediate response was issued by the Gettysburg National Military Park or the Robert E. Lee historical societies regarding Trump’s comments as of Tuesday, March 3, 2026.
