Seth Meyers: A Closer Look at Trump’s claim Robert E. Lee would have won the war in Afghanistan

Former President Donald Trump suggested that Confederate General Robert E. Lee would have won the war in Afghanistan. The bizarre claim comes weeks after President Joe Biden withdrew American troops from Afghanistan, ending a 20-year campaign. Trump’s argument prompted “A Closer Look” from Seth Meyers.

Trump’s statement coincided with the removal of a Robert E. Lee statue in Richmond, Virginia, the former capital of the Confederacy. It stands as the latest in a recent trend of removing Confederate monuments and statues from public spaces.

However, such decisions have faced criticism. Some argue that the statues have historical values, while others simply want to hold on to Confederate ideals. It’s hard to know exactly where Donald Trump’s motivation comes from, but Seth Meyers offered some theories.

On Thursday night’s Late Night, Meyers used “A Closer Look” to review Trump’s statements. The comedian then addressed what he considered Trump’s historical ignorance:

Seth Meyers gives Donald Trump a history lesson

Seth Meyers did his best to catch Donald Trump up on American history and specifically, the Reconstruction era. The Late Night host didn’t bother wasting too much time on Trump’s odd comments that nobody asks why the Civil War happened.

Instead, Meyers reminds Trump and his audience that Confederate generals like Robert E. Lee weren’t “gentlemen” or “noble” heroes. Rather, Meyers argues that white supremacists and Confederate apologists tried to wash away their traitorous behavior.

Donald Trump had a much different reaction, calling the statue’s removal a “desecration.” The former president went on to claim that Robert E. Lee was a genius and would have won the war in Afghanistan years ago.

Meyers jumps in to note that Lee lost the Civil War. He’s a general famous for losing. But then again, this is par for the course when it comes to Trump. “A Closer Look” reminds viewers of Trump’s past comments demonstrating ignorance when it comes to American history. Look no further than his quote about airports during the Revolutionary War.

What did you think of this installment of “A Closer Look”? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.