Commentators on Friday struggled to understand a comment made by President Donald Trump about Abraham Lincoln.
During a Fox News interview, Trump boasted that he had been better for Black Americans than any president in history. He then suggested that Lincoln’s legacy was “questionable.”
“I think I’ve done more for the black community than any other president, and let’s take a pass on Abraham Lincoln, because he did good — although it’s always questionable. You know, in other words, the end result –” the president said, before host Harris Faulkner cut him off.
“Well, we are free, Mr. President. He did pretty well,” Faulkner said.
“We are free,” Trump replied. “You understand what I mean.”
Many people interpreted Trump as saying that it was questionable for Lincoln to have freed slaves.
Others, however, speculated that Trump was talking about Lincoln’s assassination:
Many people said there was no point in trying to understand Trump, claiming he didn’t even know what he was trying to say.