Did Trump pull a Biden during July 4 speech? Internet slams him thinking he mixed up Op Desert Storm, Vietnam War
It's usually Joe Biden who goofs up during speeches and President Donald Trump has slammed the presumptive Democratic nominee several times for not being able to "put two sentences together". However, on July 4, it was Trump who ended up slurring during a speech. During his address on the United States' 244th Independence Day celebrations on July 4, Trump may have confused himself between the Vietnam War and the Gulf War. The supposed gaffe also came as the president slurred and stumbled through his speech during the second annual Salute to America event hosted by Trump which featured military demonstrations and flyovers. Trump's reported blunder came when he was speaking to veterans.
In a video clip of Trump's speech that has since gone viral, Trump said, "In the fields and jungles of Vietnam, they delivered a swift and swipian [sic] -- you know that sweeping -- it was swift and it was sweeping like nobody’s ever seen happen -- a victory in Operation Desert Storm, a lot of you were involved in that. A lot of you were involved.”
The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War (and in Vietnam as the Resistance War against America) took place between 1955 and 1975. Operation Desert Storm was the codename for the combat phase during the First Gulf War from 1990 to 1991. Operation Desert Storm was a military operation to expel occupying Iraqi forces from Kuwait, which Iraq had invaded and annexed months earlier.
However, CNN's Daniel Dale clarified in a tweet saying, "People are sharing a short clip that makes it seem like Trump said Desert Storm happened in Vietnam. He did not, though he stumbled. Here's the transcript of that section." According to the transcript, Trump referred to the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm separately and said, "These planes once launched off of massive aircraft carriers in the fiercest battles of World War II. They raced through the skies of Korea's MiG Alley. They carried American warriors into the dense fields and jungles of Vietnam. They delivered a [swift and sweeping] victory in Operation Desert Storm."
Many took to social media to ridicule the president for his gaffe and his reported mix-up of historical events. One user wrote, "Trump thinks we delivered a "swift and swippy" victory in Operation Desert Storm during the Vietnam War. If Trump were your grandpa, you'd be trying to get him into a professional care facility right now." Another wrote, "I'm watching this over and over and I can actually feel more and more brain cells dying with each viewing, screaming in despair and disbelief. What is even going on here?"
"I don’t want to hear one more word from Trump & his cult members about Joe Biden’s “gaffes” after this potpourri of gibberish about Vietnam & Desert Storm," said a tweet while another read, "So, the Right gets on Biden when he said there were 120 millions deaths from COVID-19, which he immediately corrected. Yet, are they going to call Trump on confusing Desert Storm with Vietnam?" Another user tweeted, "Swift and shweping, sweeping. The Trumps have no room to make fun of Joe Biden. He shouldn't even speak on Vietnam."
A user mocked the president, tweeting, "Donald Trump "I know more than the generals" "In the jungles of Vietnam... they delivered a swift victory in Operation Desert Storm" Not Vietnam. Iraq Not swift. A decade Not victory, a loss Not jungle - please look at the word 'Desert' Mr. President. Yes, a sandy desert." Another shared, "It drives me up the f***ing wall when he says 'like no one's ever seen before.' Also, there was nothing swift and "swipping" about Vietnam. If he hadn't dodged the draft 5 times he may know that."
A user opined, "You can’t expect a racist coward who dodged the draft five times to avoid going to Vietnam to know Operation Desert Storm was in the Middle East and not in jungles of Vietnam. He’s as much of a moron as he is a traitor." Another wrote, "Trump’s cognitive decline is incredibly concerning! Besides mumbling like he has dementia, he thinks Vietnam and Operation Desert Storm are somehow the same thing and believes Vietnam was 'swift and sweeping.'"