White House Removes Vance's Armenian Genocide Post Citing Staff Error
The White House has deleted a social media post from Vice President JD Vance's official account that commemorated the massacres of Armenians as a "genocide," stating the message was posted in error. The deletion occurred during Vance's historic two-day trip to Armenia, where he became the first U.S. vice president to visit the South Caucasus republic.
Memorial Visit and Controversial Wording
During his visit, Vance and his wife Usha participated in a ceremonial wreath-laying at the Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan. The memorial honors the 1.5 million Armenians who perished during the final years of the Ottoman Empire, which was led by Turkey.
Vance's official X account later described the visit as intended "to honor the victims of the 1915 Armenian genocide." However, this post was swiftly removed. A Vance aide, who requested anonymity, clarified that the message was posted mistakenly by staff who were not part of the traveling delegation.
Diplomatic Sensitivities with Turkey
The deletion highlights the delicate diplomatic balance with Turkey, a NATO ally of the United States. President Tayyip Erdogan has maintained close ties with President Donald Trump, including support for U.S. diplomatic initiatives in Gaza.
While Turkey acknowledges that many Armenians were killed in clashes with Ottoman forces during World War One, it contests the figures and denies the killings were systematically orchestrated or constitute genocide. Although the U.S. Congress and former President Joe Biden have recognized the 1915 events as genocide, Trump has avoided using that term in his statements.
Vance's Comments and Visit Objectives
When asked by reporters if his memorial visit was meant to recognize a genocide, Vance responded, "Obviously, it's a very terrible thing that happened little over 100 years ago, and something that was just very, very important to them culturally." He added that he visited out of respect for the victims and the Armenian government, which he described as an important regional partner.
Vance's trip aimed to promote agreements the Trump administration negotiated with Armenia and Azerbaijan to foster peace after nearly 40 years of conflict between the Caucasus rivals. Trump has touted these diplomatic efforts as key achievements of his presidency.
Recent Social Media Controversies
This incident follows another social media deletion by the White House just four days prior, when a racist depiction of former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama as apes was posted to Trump's Truth Social account. The White House initially defended the post before removing it, with Trump later telling reporters he had not watched the entire video before an aide posted it.
Strategic Agreements Signed
In Armenia, Vance signed a deal with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan that could enable the U.S. to construct a nuclear power plant there. On Tuesday, he traveled to Azerbaijan and signed a strategic partnership agreement covering economic and security cooperation. These moves are part of Washington's efforts to expand its influence in a region where Russia was historically the dominant power broker.
The spokesperson for Vance emphasized that his X account is managed by staff primarily to share photos and videos of his activities, noting that Vance's own comments did not include the term "genocide." This clarification underscores the administration's cautious approach to terminology amid ongoing diplomatic sensitivities.
