Donald Trump stumbled over the name of Charlottesville, Virginia, during a speech on Tuesday, which was primarily centered on economic policy. Pivoting from his prepared remarks, Trump criticized Vice President Kamala Harris for what he described as lies about “Charlottestown.”
The former president, addressing an audience in Savannah, Georgia, had been outlining his plans to impose tariffs and other measures aimed at bolstering U.S. manufacturing when he suddenly shifted topics. He began to claim that he had won a recent debate with Harris, despite assertions from the GOP that the moderators were biased against him.
“She didn’t say anything except lies, like bloodbath, like Charlottestown,” Trump declared.
Though he did not acknowledge his mistake, Trump quickly attempted to move on, remarking, “I’m finishing this topic. Because they’ll say, ‘Oh, he fell into a trap’” — perhaps trying to preempt any criticism of his gaffe.
Trump was attempting to reference the tragic events of 2017 in Charlottesville, where violent clashes occurred between white supremacists and anti-racist demonstrators. Trump’s commentary on this incident has drawn sustained criticism over the years, particularly from Harris and other Democratic leaders, due to his controversial assertion that there were “very fine people on both sides.”
In recent months, Trump has sought to downplay the significance of the Charlottesville violence. In April, he compared the 2017 incident to pro-Palestinian protests happening on college campuses, suggesting that the latter was more severe. These comments come as part of his ongoing campaign for a second term in office.
However, the events in Charlottesville have indelibly marked Trump’s presidency. They reportedly served as a catalyst for President Joe Biden’s decision to run against him in 2020.
On August 11 and 12, 2017, hundreds of white nationalists gathered in Charlottesville. Violent clashes with anti-racism activists erupted on both days, compelling authorities to order the crowds to disperse on the second day. Amidst this chaos, a man drove his car into a group of peaceful counter-protesters, resulting in one woman’s death and injuring 35 others.
