Vance deleted a message referring to the “Armenian Genocide.” Here’s why this phrase is important

US Vice President J.D. Vance’s team posted a message on social media about the Republican’s visit to a memorial paying tribute to Armenians in the early 20th century who were killed by the Ottoman Empire.

The problem was the post used the term “Armenian Genocide,” a label the US government has not historically used to describe what happened, with the notable exception of the Biden administration. The White House blamed staff error.

Here are some questions and answers about what that means, what Vance himself did and didn’t say, and why it matters.

What did Vance go to see in Armenia?

Vance visited a site called the Armenian Genocide Memorial, Armenia’s official national memorial, remembering its citizens who died under the brutal control of the Ottoman Empire during World War I.

The initial post on Vance’s official X account said he was visiting the memorial to “honor the victims of the Armenian Genocide.” It was replaced with a second post that showed what he wrote in the guest book as well as a clip of the Vice President and Osha Vance laying flowers at the memorial.

Vance, the first US vice president to visit Armenia, was in the country as part of the Trump administration’s follow-up to a US-brokered agreement aimed at ending the decades-long conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, where Vance traveled later on Tuesday.

Why does word choice matter?

“Genocide” is a legally charged and distinct term that is carefully used by national governments, international bodies and media organizations.

The United Nations in 1948 defined genocide as “meaning certain acts, mentioned in Article II, committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group, as such,” according to the established understanding of the US State Department.

There is no doubt that several thousand Armenian citizens, most of them Christians, died under the direction of the Committee of Union and Progress that led the Islamic government in Constantinople, now known as Istanbul.

The US Holocaust Memorial Museum estimates that “at least 664,000 and perhaps as many as 1.2 million” died.

But the US government has historically not recognized what happened as a “genocide” for fear of antagonizing Türkiye, the main US ally in the region. In 2021, former President Joe Biden officially admitted that the systematic killings and deportations of hundreds of thousands of Armenians by forces of the Ottoman Empire were part of “genocide.”

Türkiye’s reaction was angry at the time. The Foreign Minister said that his country “will not receive lessons in our history from anyone.”

People of Armenian descent remember the victims by holding memorials and an annual day of remembrance around the world, including in the United States.

What did Vance himself say?

Vance was specifically asked Tuesday about his visit to the memorial and whether he “acknowledges” the genocide.

He avoided using the word and said he went to “show my respect” at the invitation of his host, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his government.

“They said this is a very important location for us, and obviously I am the first (US) vice president to ever visit Armenia,” Vance said. “They’ve asked us to visit the site. This is obviously a very terrible thing that happened just over a hundred years ago and it’s very, very important to them culturally.”

Vance added that it was “a sign of respect, both for the victims and also for the Armenian government which has been a very important partner for us in the region.”

What did the White House say?

The White House blamed the original post on a staffer. This is the second time in less than a week that the West Wing has blamed an unnamed aide in a controversy over a social media post. Last Friday, it was Racist video Which Trump shared on his Truth Social account depicted former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama as jungle monkeys.

The White House initially defended the post before deleting it after a series of criticism.

What will happen next?

It is not yet clear whether there will be any diplomatic consequences. For his part, Vance seemed determined to keep the focus on his expedition’s original mission.

“I think the president has reached a great peace agreement,” Vance said. “And I think the administration is really committed to it.”

However, there is a political question about whether Americans of Armenian descent will react, as these rhetorical throwbacks provide another reminder of how reluctant the United States is to use the word “genocide” to describe what Armenians remember in this way.

White House correspondent Michelle Price contributed reporting from Baku, Azerbaijan.