At a rally in Prescott Valley, Arizona, former President Donald Trump caught attention when he mispronounced the word “Assyrians” as “Asur-Asians.” He was attempting to acknowledge a small group of Assyrians, who were wearing “Assyrians for Trump” shirts and seated prominently behind him.
Despite the mispronunciation, the shoutout gained positive attention for the Assyrian community, bringing them unexpected recognition.
The Assyrians, a Christian group with roots in ancient Mesopotamia, have a small population in the U.S., but with significant communities in swing states like Michigan and Arizona, they could have an outsized influence in the 2024 election.
Sam Darmo, a co-founder of Assyrians for Trump, who was at the rally, expressed gratitude for the error, saying, “Assyrians became very famous. More Americans know who we are today than they did back on Sunday.”
Assyrians trace their ancestry to parts of modern Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Turkey. Despite their rich history, they have faced persecution for centuries, including recent atrocities by groups like ISIS.
In the U.S., about 95,000 people identify as Assyrian, Chaldean, or Syriac, with the largest community located in Michigan, home to 38,000 Assyrians. Arizona, another swing state, is home to around 5,000 Assyrians.
Trump later addressed the mispronunciation in an interview with podcaster Patrick Bet-David, who is of Assyrian and Armenian descent. Trump recalled meeting with the group and mentioned how they requested a shoutout during the rally.
He admitted to mispronouncing the name but noted the positive interaction he had with the Assyrian group.
While some Assyrians appreciated the recognition from Trump’s shoutout, not all reactions were favorable. Ramond Takhsh, director of advocacy for the Assyrian American Association of Southern California, emphasized the diversity of political views within the community.
He noted that while some were pleased with the attention, others were not, especially given Trump’s past immigration policies.
The Assyrian community, like many others, has mixed feelings about Trump. Some appreciate his focus on religious freedom and his strong stance on issues of concern to them.
Mona Oshana, co-founder of Assyrians for Trump, stated that the GOP aligns with their values as a religious group that fled persecution. She said, “We are an America First community because we came to America based on the echo of freedom and the Constitution.”
However, others were frustrated with Trump’s policies, particularly his immigration and refugee policies, which limited the resettlement of refugees from countries such as Iraq and Syria.
Many Assyrians were impacted by these restrictions, and some were deeply upset by the 2019 death of a Chaldean man who was deported to Iraq after living in the U.S. since infancy.
As the 2024 election approaches, both the Democratic and Republican parties are vying for the support of Assyrians and other ethnic communities in key swing states. While Trump’s mispronunciation brought attention to the Assyrians, their political views remain diverse and complex.
