‘That translator is all of us’: Social media is VERY amused by Italian translator’s bemused reaction to Donald Trump after he said US has a shared history with Italy dating back to ANCIENT Rome (but is it as daft as it sounds?)
- Donald Trump gave a press conference with Italian President Sergio Mattarella at the White House on Wednesday
- People were quick to draw attention to the Italian translator’s changing facial expressions as she sat behind him and Mattarella taking notes
- Trump was also slammed for his comments about U.S.-Italy history
- He was speaking of his love for Italian navigator Christopher Columbus and also went on to argue how long America’s relationship with Italy goes back
Social media has taken great delight in an Italian translator’s reaction to Donald Trump during a White House press conference – after he claimed the U.S. shared history with Italy dating back to ancient Rome.
Trump gave a lengthy and wide-ranging joint press conference with Italian President Sergio Mattarella at the White House on Wednesday.
As Trump was speaking, people were quick to draw attention to the Italian translator’s changing facial expressions as she sat behind him and Mattarella taking notes.
‘The look of the White House Italian translator as Trump says President Mozzarella for the Italian President and says U.S. and Italy have been allies since Ancient Rome. Hot f**king damn,’ one person tweeted.
Another wrote: ‘Italian President Sergio Mattarella’s translator listening to Donald Trump is all of us…’
Donald Trump gave a lengthy and wide-ranging joint press conference with Italian President Sergio Mattarella at the White House on Wednesday
He was speaking of his love for Italian navigator Christopher Columbus and also went on to praise America’s long relationship with Italy.
‘The United States and Italy are bound together by a shared cultural and political heritage dating back thousands of years to ancient Rome,’ Trump said.
While it is of course false to suggest that America – founded in 1776 – shares a direct history with ancient Rome – founded in 753BC, collapsed in 410AD – the two nations do share a common cultural and political history.
The Founding Fathers were obsessed with Rome, consciously referenced it in their speeches, and sought to emulate its form of governance – with representatives elected to govern on behalf of the people.
The White House later tweeted out footage of Trump making those exact remarks.
But social media immediately slammed Trump after they interpreted his remarks to mean the U.S. and Italy had been allies for centuries.
‘He literally said the US & Italy share heritage dating back thousands of years to Ancient Rome 2 days after the 527 year anniversary of Columbus’ arrival… And then the White House twitter account repeated it,’ actor John Fugelsang tweeted.
Another Twitter user said: ‘Ancient Rome? Is he serious? The United States is 243 years old, Ancient Rome was THOUSANDS of years ago…. hence the ‘Ancient’.’
‘FACT CHECK: The United States of America (1776 – present) never had ties with Ancient Rome (753 B.C. – 476 A.D),’ a former Obama employee tweeted.
During the press conference, Trump also defended the legacy of Christopher Columbus.
The 15th-century explorer is traditionally seen as the first European to arrive in the New World and who is sometimes accused of being responsible for the genocide of indigenous Americans.
‘On Monday we paid tribute to the Italian explorer who led a voyage of discovery to the New World, a gentleman known as Christopher Columbus,’ the US president said at the beginning of his press conference with Italian President Sergio Mattarella.
‘To me it will always be called Columbus Day,’ he said. ‘Some people don’t like that — I do.’
Trump was referring to the city of Washington’s recent decision to re-name the holiday from Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
Mattarella offered also offered praise for Columbus, saying the sailor ‘opened up new horizons, got to know and connected continents which ignored one another’.
‘Based on the role of the US in the world, it seems to me that he did a good job back then,’ Mattarella said.
