Democratic Party Presidential Candidate Warren Targeted
Trump Mocks Again Following 2016
Used as Racial and Gender Discriminatory Term
[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jaehee] U.S. President Donald Trump has once again sparked controversy by mocking Senator Elizabeth Warren, one of the leading Democratic presidential candidates, calling her 'Pocahontas.'
On the 13th (local time), President Trump tweeted, "Bernie Sanders' volunteers are trying to dump Elizabeth 'Pocahontas' Warren," adding, "Everyone knows her campaign is over." He further stated, "There is a rift developing between Sanders and Warren." Following the leak of a private meeting between Sanders and Warren, where Sanders reportedly said he thought a woman would have difficulty winning the presidential election, Trump highlighted the split between the two leading Democratic candidates and referred to Senator Warren as 'Pocahontas.'
Pocahontas was a real historical figure from the 17th century. She was the daughter of a Native American chief, captured by the British, converted, and married to a British man. In 1995, Walt Disney produced an animated film about her. However, within the U.S., the term is often used to belittle Native American minorities and women, considered a racially discriminatory remark. President Trump has repeatedly mocked Senator Warren, who has been called the 'Trump sniper' for frequently criticizing his words and actions, by referring to her as 'Pocahontas' based on her claimed Native American heritage.
This is not the first time President Trump has called Senator Warren 'Pocahontas.' During the 2016 presidential race, when Warren called him a 'racist bully' and attacked him, he responded by calling her 'Pocahontas.' In 2017, at a White House event honoring Native American veterans, he again referred to Warren as 'Pocahontas,' sparking racial discrimination controversy.
Senator Warren classified herself as Native American, a minority group, rather than white in the 1990s. This period coincided with her candidacy for tenured professorships at the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University. There have been ongoing suspicions that Warren changed her racial identity to benefit from affirmative action policies.
Despite various controversies, President Trump's use of the term 'Pocahontas' is considered highly political and intentional. The Democratic Party analyzed that Trump is using racial attacks as a focal point to rally white supporters and leverage it for the election. Former Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden mentioned in a tweet, "It is clear that Trump is trying to divide us based on race and gender."
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