On the March 20, 2025, episode of The Don Lemon Podcast, former MSNBC host Joy Reid delivered a historically illiterate rant about the War of 1812, claiming that Canada burned down the White House and won the war against the United States. The moment, met with a smirk and nods from Lemon, quickly went viral, drawing hysterical praise from her loyal fans—despite the fact that her claims were blatantly false.
Reid’s Canada War Delusion
At one point in the conversation, Reid confidently declared:
“First of all, you cannot make Canada the 51st state without going to war with them. And let me explain how that worked out the last time we tried to go to war with Canada.”
She then loudly and excitedly asserted:
“They burned the White House to the ground in 1814 and won the war! Canada beat us in the War of 1812!”
As Lemon sat there, fingers interlocked and smirking, Reid doubled down on the claim, adding:
“They [the Canadians] probably like their chances against us. We’re not going to beat them in a war because we have never been able to do that.”
The rant was delivered with complete conviction, which was apparently enough to convince her audience, because the YouTube comment section erupted with applause for her “brilliant” history lesson.
YouTube Fans Eat It Up, No Fact-Checking Required
Rather than question her fact-free statements, Reid’s fans flooded the comments with glowing praise:
- “Wow! I miss me some Joy Reid. She is so learned in history.”
- “The way she spoke presidential history off the top of her head!”
- “Love this. Black Journalists Matter.”
- “She is so smart! MSNBC dropped the bag by losing her!”
- “People of color need to always be informed with the truth of today’s news. Please, Joy and Don, put something together because we love how you guys deliver the news!”
One commenter even celebrated her presence in independent media, saying:
- “See, this is the reason why I love independent media. You can say things you could never say on MSNBC, CNN, etc.”
Ironically, there’s a good reason why mainstream outlets wouldn’t air this—because it’s not true.
The Facts: Why Reid’s Canada Claim is Complete Nonsense
Here’s what actually happened:
- Canada did NOT burn the White House—Britain did. In 1814, British troops—not Canadians—set fire to the White House in retaliation for the U.S. burning York (modern-day Toronto). Canada was not even a country yet; it was part of British North America, fully under British rule.
- The War of 1812 was NOT a Canadian victory. Reid’s claim that Canada “won” the war is laughable. The war ended in a stalemate, with the Treaty of Ghent restoring pre-war borders. The British failed to take U.S. territory, and the final major battle, the Battle of New Orleans, was a massive U.S. victory led by Andrew Jackson.
- Canada could not “beat” the U.S. in a war today. Reid’s suggestion that Canada would have the upper hand against the U.S. in a modern conflict is beyond absurd:
- The U.S. has over 1.3 million active-duty troops, compared to 70,000 in Canada.
- The U.S. military budget exceeds $800 billion, while Canada’s is just $30 billion.
- The U.S. has 11 nuclear-powered aircraft carriers; Canada has zero.
- The U.S. possesses thousands of advanced aircraft, tanks, submarines, and drones, giving it unmatched global power.
Canada is a respected U.S. ally with a professional military, but the idea that it could defeat the United States in a war is pure fantasy.
Don Lemon Just Sat There and Smirked
As Reid spewed historical fiction, Don Lemon—fired from CNN in 2023 for his extreme anti-Trump rhetoric and declining viewership—just sat there smirking, not even pretending to fact-check her. It’s the same Lemon who faced scandals for sexist comments about Nikki Haley, misogyny allegations from former colleagues, and his role in the Jussie Smollett hoax. Now that he’s out of mainstream media, he’s fully embracing unhinged, fact-free ranting as entertainment.
Why This Matters: Personality Over Truth
Reid’s meltdown is a perfect example of how a confident delivery can convince people of things that simply aren’t true. Her followers rushed to praise her intelligence, yet not one of them seemed to notice she was lying.
This isn’t new for Reid. Over the years, she has:
- Blamed her own homophobic blog posts on a mystical hacking incident that never happened.
- Made anti-Semitic comments about Israel and CNN’s Wolf Blitzer.
- Compared Trump supporters to radical Islamic terrorists.
- Repeated false narratives about police shootings to fit her political agenda.
And yet, her audience doesn’t care. They just want someone who sounds smart, whether or not they’re actually telling the truth.
The fact that her outright falsehoods were met with applause shows just how easily misinformation spreads when people prioritize personality over facts.
Disclaimer
This article is an opinion piece based on publicly available information, direct quotes, and historical analysis. It is intended to provide factual corrections and critical commentary on statements made by public figures. The views expressed in this article reflect an analysis of the topic at hand and are not intended to misrepresent, defame, or mischaracterize any individuals mentioned.
While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, readers are encouraged to conduct their own research and verify claims independently. The article includes quotes and paraphrased statements from public sources, which are analyzed in the context of historical and factual accuracy. This piece is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any political organization, news outlet, or individual mentioned within.
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