U.S. President Donald Trump refrained from using the term Armenian “genocide” in his annual message, instead referring to the 1915 events as the “Great Catastrophe.”
As in previous years, Trump avoided the politically charged term and instead used the Armenian phrase “Meds Yeghern,” meaning “Great Catastrophe,” in his April 24 remembrance message marking the 110th anniversary of the 1915 events.
In the statement, Trump praised the efforts of the American Committee for Relief in the Near East, established in 1915, and expressed gratitude to the thousands of Americans who supported Armenian and Syrian refugees during that time.
Türkiye had previously rejected a similar statement by Trump, saying that it was based on a ‘subjective’ narrative of Armenians.
Türkiye’s position on the events of 1915 is that the deaths of Armenians in eastern Anatolia took place when some sided with the invading Russians and revolted against Ottoman forces. A subsequent relocation of Armenians resulted in numerous casualties.
Türkiye objects to the presentation of these incidents as “genocide,” describing them as a tragedy in which both sides suffered casualties.
Ankara has repeatedly proposed the creation of a joint commission of historians from Türkiye and Armenia as well as international experts, to tackle the issue.
While most U.S. presidents have refrained from calling the deaths of Armenians “genocide,” former president Joe Biden repeatedly referred to the 1915 events as genocide.
Former President Barack Obama adopted the Armenian phrase “Meds Yeghern,” or “Great Crime,” to describe the tragedy, a practice repeated by Trump.
Additionally, both chambers of the U.S. Congress passed resolutions in 2019 labeling the events as genocide, following persistent pressure and lobbying by Armenian-American interest groups, despite the controversy and historical disputes surrounding the issue.