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Trump snubs late John Lewis for skipping his inauguration: 'Nobody has done more for Black Americans than I have'

Airing his views on Lewis during an Axios interview, Trump said, 'He was a person that devoted a lot of energy and a lotta heart to civil rights. But there were many others also'
UPDATED AUG 4, 2020
(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)

President Donald Trump refused to praise the legacy of civil rights icon John Lewis during an Axios interview, which aired Monday, August 3 on HBO. He said that the longtime Democratic congressman and voting rights pioneer had not come to his inauguration or State of the Union addresses. Trump was asked by journalist Jonathan Swan as to how history would remember Lewis. In response, the POTUS said, "I don't know. I really don't know. He chose not to come to my inauguration. He chose, I never met John Lewis, I don't believe."

Lewis passed away at the age of 80 on July 17 after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. His accomplishments and achievements in the civil rights movement include marches with Martin Luther King Jr. His work and contributions had been praised by both Democrats and Republicans. 

US President Donald Trump speaks at a meeting with the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Imran Khan, in the Oval Office at the White House on July 22, 2019 in Washington, DC. This is Khan’s first visit to Washington as Pakistan’s prime minister to discuss relations with the United States. President Trump also spoke about Iran and the Mueller Report (Getty Images) 

Swan had asked Trump, "Do you find him impressive?" to which Trump said he could not "say one way or another" as he went on praise himself for the work he has done for Black Americans. "I find a lot of people impressive. I find many people not impressive. But no, he didn’t come to my inauguration. He didn’t come to my State of the Union speeches, and that’s OK. That’s his right," Trump said. "And, again, nobody has done more for Black Americans than I have. He should’ve come. I think he made a big mistake. I think he should’ve come," Trump added.

Swan gave Trump another opportunity to say something pleasant about Lewis who had once fractured his skull while marching for the right to vote. "But taking your relationship with him out of it, Do you find his story impressive, what he’s done for this country?" Swan asked, to which Trump responded saying, "He was a person that devoted a lot of energy and a lotta heart to civil rights. But there were many others also."

Many social media users have slammed Trump for his comments on Lewis. One user shared, "John Lewis wasn’t there for George W Bush in 2001. Difference is, President Bush isn’t a big (orange emoji, baby emoji) and spoke at his funeral."



 

"Well anyone who believes in Civil Rights would have been mad to go to his inauguration," wrote another Twitter user.



 

"Oh my god. All he had to do was say 'yes I find his story an impressive story'. But he can't. He has to go 'off road'. He had to be the most dumb as f**k person to ever hold office. He just distanced himself from a lot of black voters," yet another commented. 



 

Another Twitter user who echoed the same sentiments also chimed in, saying, "He's such a child. I'm sure he wasn't welcome anyway." 



 

Trump did not attend Lewis' memorial service last week on Thursday, July 30. Lewis' memorial ceremony featured eulogies by former presidents including Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and George W Bush. Obama delivered a rousing eulogy and celebrated the leader’s life. “He, as much as anyone in our history, brought this country a little bit closer to our highest ideals,” Obama said, hailing him as Martin Luther King Jr’s “finest disciple.”

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