US Administration's Stance on the Armenian Genocide Remains Unchanged: White House

The White House's position on the Armenian Genocide has not changed. This was stated by officials from the White House in an interview with "Voice of America," adding that the US President has reaffirmed that "the Armenian Genocide is a historical crime and tragedy, and the US stands by the Armenian people."

The White House spokesperson Kayleigh McEnany's comments regarding the Armenian Genocide memorial in Denver have been actively discussed in the American media. On Monday, McEnany used the term "Armenian Genocide" while addressing the vandalized memorial that was targeted during recent protests against racial discrimination.

“When the Armenian Genocide memorial, which commemorates all crimes committed against humanity, including the victims of slavery, is desecrated, we are dealing with a lack of consciousness and historical knowledge,” the White House spokesperson stated.

The source reminds that the stance of the US administration on recognition of the Armenian Genocide differs from the resolutions passed by the US Congress last year in both chambers—the House of Representatives and the Senate. The administration avoids labeling the 1915 events in the Ottoman Empire as "genocide," using the term "Great Tragedy" in the president's annual address on April 24.

Turkey responded to the White House spokesperson's remarks; the Turkish government informed the media that the Trump administration's stance on this issue is widely known. The Turkish embassy in Washington stated to the media that the use of the term Armenian Genocide is unacceptable, arguing that the spokesperson's use of it is supposedly “a painful slip of the tongue that has given a different meaning to the issue.”

The Embassy of Armenia in the US commented on the developments around the Armenian Genocide memorial in Denver on their Facebook post, referring to previous statements made by the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on this occasion. The embassy emphasized that Armenia appreciates the proper attention of US authorities to this issue.

American-Armenian organizations have also responded to the spokesperson's comments. The Armenian National Committee of America expressed gratitude through the media to the administration for mentioning the Armenian Genocide memorial, while the Armenian Assembly of Washington stated that McEnany's comment could be the first step towards recognition of the Armenian Genocide by all branches of the US government.