American History Hotline
Did George Washington Cut Down a Cherry Tree and Tell the Truth?
23 Jul 2025
Sir Mix-a-Lot can't lie about liking big butts. And George Washington can't lie about cutting down cherry trees. Or can he? According to Washington biographer Alexis Coe, this is "the greatest fan fiction ever told" (the tree thing! Mix-a-Lot truly loves big butts). It turns out America's first president is a lightning rod for myths and misinformation. So, we're putting in our wooden teeth (or are they not wood?) and taking a bite of the reality sandwich as we sort truth from fiction in George Washington's legacy. GUEST: Alexis Coe, an award-winning, New York Times bestselling presidential historian, and a senior fellow at New America, a bi-partisan think tank. Her books include, You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of George of Washington and the upcoming Young Jack: A Biography of John F. Kennedy, 1917-1957 (scheduled for 2026). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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