Trump Mispronounces “Assyrians” at Rally, Sparking Attention \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ At a rally in Prescott Valley, Arizona, Donald Trump mispronounced “Assyrians,” calling them “Asur-Asians” during a shoutout to Assyrians supporting his campaign. The small Christian minority, with roots in ancient Mesopotamia, has significant populations in swing states like Michigan and Arizona. Some in the Assyrian community welcomed the recognition, while others criticized Trump’s past immigration policies. The mispronunciation has sparked attention as the November 5 election approaches.
Trump Mispronounces Assyrians at Rally, Spotlighting Minority Group – Quick Looks:
- Mispronunciation moment: Trump mistakenly called Assyrians “Asur-Asians” at an Arizona rally.
- Assyrian shoutout: A small group of Assyrians wearing “Assyrians for Trump” shirts attended the event.
- Community reaction: Some Assyrians appreciated the recognition, while others criticized Trump’s immigration policies.
- Swing state impact: Assyrians, with large communities in Michigan and Arizona, could influence the upcoming election.
Deep Look:
Former President Donald Trump drew unexpected attention during a recent rally in Prescott Valley, Arizona, when he mispronounced the word “Assyrians,” referring to the group as “Asur-Asians” while giving them a shoutout. The incident, which occurred at a packed arena north of Phoenix, became a talking point for both Trump’s supporters and critics within the Assyrian community.
Mispronunciation at the Rally:
As Trump addressed his supporters, a small group of Assyrians seated prominently behind him wore bright red “Assyrians for Trump” shirts. Trump, in his usual rally style, attempted to acknowledge their presence but stumbled over the name. “Also, we have many Asur-Asians in our room,” he said, before quickly moving on. The mispronunciation sparked immediate reactions, both on social media and within the Assyrian community itself.
Assyrians, a Christian minority group with ancestral ties to ancient Mesopotamia in what is now Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Turkey, have long faced persecution and displacement. The group is relatively small in the United States, with about 95,000 people identifying as Assyrian, Chaldean, or Syriac in the 2022 U.S. Census Bureau data. Though they represent a small community, they have significant populations in key swing states like Michigan (38,000 Assyrians) and Arizona (5,000 Assyrians), potentially giving them an outsized influence in the upcoming November 5 election.
Assyrians in the U.S.:
Assyrians, who speak a form of Aramaic—the language believed to have been spoken by Jesus Christ—are an ancient community with a rich cultural and religious history. As descendants of one of the earliest Middle Eastern empires and early followers of Christianity, they have suffered through centuries of persecution, including genocide and displacement. In the modern era, many Assyrians fled their homeland due to threats from groups like ISIS, which targeted Christian minorities in the Middle East.
Sam Darmo, a Phoenix real estate agent and co-founder of Assyrians for Trump, was seated behind the former president during the rally. He said that despite the mispronunciation, Trump’s recognition helped raise awareness about Assyrians in America. “Thank you, President Trump, for making a mistake in our name,” Darmo said. “More Americans know who the Assyrians are today than they did back on Sunday.”
Trump’s Past with the Assyrian Community:
In a later interview with Patrick Bet-David, an Assyrian and Armenian podcaster, Trump admitted to the error. “I mispronounced it, but they were nice people,” Trump explained. He recounted that before the rally, a group of Assyrians had posed for photos with him and asked for a shoutout during the event. Trump said he was unfamiliar with the group initially but wanted to acknowledge their support. He speculated that an aide may have misspelled “Assyrians” on the teleprompter, leading to the confusion.
Darmo confirmed Trump’s account, explaining that they requested the shoutout just before the event. While some in the community appreciated the attention, others, like Ramond Takhsh, director of advocacy for the Assyrian American Association of Southern California, noted that the reaction to Trump’s mangled recognition was not unanimous. “Some Assyrians are happy with the recognition, but some are not,” Takhsh said, noting the community’s diverse political views.
The Impact of Swing State Communities:
Though a minority group in the U.S., Assyrians live in key swing states that could help determine the outcome of the November election. In Michigan, which is home to the largest Assyrian community in the U.S., and Arizona, where the rally was held, Assyrians’ political leanings could be pivotal in what is expected to be a tight race.
Mona Oshana, an Iraqi-born Assyrian American and co-founder of Assyrians for Trump, emphasized the alignment of the Assyrian community with the values of the Republican Party, particularly in relation to religious freedom and opposition to authoritarianism. “We are an America First community because we came to America based on the echo of freedom and the Constitution,” Oshana said. She added that many Assyrians who fled persecution in the Middle East find common ground with conservative values of liberty and democracy.
However, some in the community remain critical of Trump’s policies, especially his administration’s immigration restrictions. In 2019, the deportation of Jimmy Al-Daoud, a 41-year-old Chaldean man who had lived in the U.S. since infancy, sparked outrage after Al-Daoud died in Baghdad shortly after his deportation. Trump’s travel ban, which affected several Middle Eastern countries including Iran, Iraq, and Syria, also raised concerns among Assyrians who have relatives in those nations.
Democratic Outreach:
In response to Trump’s outreach to Assyrians, Kamala Harris’s campaign has also sought to connect with the Assyrian and Chaldean communities. The grassroots group Chaldeans and Assyrians for Harris Walz has been active in Michigan, aiming to mobilize support for the Democratic ticket. The group points to Harris’s immigration policies and her focus on religious freedoms as reasons to support her over Trump.
Conclusion:
Trump’s mispronunciation of “Assyrians” during his Arizona rally may have sparked some laughs, but it has also drawn attention to a small yet potentially influential community. With key Assyrian populations in Michigan and Arizona, both Trump and Harris are working to win over this minority group in the final weeks before the election. While some Assyrians appreciate the recognition Trump has given them, others remain wary of his policies, particularly on immigration and refugee resettlement.
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