Trump accidentally celebrates the 'abolition of civil rights' in speech

A line in President Trump's speech on Thursday morning took on a very unfortunate new meaning thanks to one misused word.

While speaking at the National Prayer Breakfast, Trump listed off some American accomplishments that were "led by people of faith," which range "from gaining our independence, to abolition of civil rights, to extending the vote for women." This gaffe making it sound like the president was praising the "abolition of civil rights" quickly took off on social media.

The official transcript released later in the day corrected this comment, making clear that Trump was supposed to say "from gaining our independence, to abolition, to civil rights," allowing this to serve as a cautionary tale in English classrooms for years to come. Watch the moment below. Brendan Morrow

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up