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By James Bickerton
News Reporter
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Footage of President Trump being asked what the Declaration of Independence means to him has gone viral on social media, several commentators suggesting he didn't know what the document was.
Newsweek contacted the White House for comment on Friday via email outside of regular office hours.
Why It Matters
Trump has made a number of history related gaffs during his political career, including a 2019 Independence Day speech when he said the Continental Army "took over the airports" during the Revolutionary War despite this being more than a century before the invention of human flight.
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The latest one is unlikely to concern Trump's base but polling indicates the president has lost popularity in recent weeks, his net approval rating dropping to -11 percentage points according to a YouGov/Yahoo poll conducted between April 25 and 28.
What To Know
On Tuesday, President Trump sat down with ABC News' Terry Moran for his first broadcast interview since his second presidential inauguration in January, for an event to mark his first 100 days in office.
During the interview, Trump showed Moran around the Oval Office, pointing out a copy of the 1776 Declaration of Independence which announced the original 13 colonies were breaking away from the British Empire.
Referring to the document Moran asked "what does it mean to you?"
The president replied: "Well it means exactly what it says, it's a declaration, it's a declaration of unity and love and respect and it means a lot and its something very special to our country."
The clip was later replayed on the Daily Show where comedian Desi Lydic focused on the reporter's reaction, joking: "Look at Terry Moran's face, he looks like a teacher about to call the school psychologist."
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Americans will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the ratification of the Declaration of Independence on July 4 2026.
What People Are Saying
On X Trump biographer Seth Abramson shared a clip of Trump's remarks, adding: "He 100% has no idea what the Declaration of Independence is."
Ron Filipkowski, editor-in-chief of the Meidas Touch media outlet, wrote: "Trump has absolutely no clue what the Declaration of Independence is or what it says."
Jay Bookman, a journalist who writes for the Georgia Recorder, commented: "If the Democrats were better at this game, they would take Trump's 'explanation' of the Declaration of Independence and run it as a 30-second ad, without comment, on every station they could find."
The Democratic supporting 'BlueDream' X account, which has over 103,000 followers, posted: "Watch the expression on the interviewer's face when Trump doesn't know what the declaration of independence is.
"Don't migrants who apply for a citizenship have to know what the Declaration of Independence is? Why doesn't the president of the United States know?"
What Happens Next
Criticism of Trump's remarks is likely to continue on social media though its political impact will almost certainly be limited. It is unclear whether the White House will issue an official response.
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