Donald Trump left people mystified after garbling part of his speech Sunday during a rally in Prescott Valley, Arizona.
While welcoming his audience, the Republican proudly introduced the many “Azure-asians” in the crowd.
Perplexed by what Trump uttered, several people posted a clip of the speech on social media to figure out what he was trying to say.
While some people theorized that he had found a truly remarkable way to mispronounce “Arizonans” or perhaps “Azerbaijans,” journalist Aaron Rupar flagged a more likely explanation on X, formerly Twitter.
Pointing to a group of supporters in red shirts that said “Assyrians for Trump,” Rupar noted that he must have been trying to refer to them.
There is little information about “Assyrians for Trump” online. While the collective seems to have a nearly nonexistent digital footprint, a 136-member Facebook group by that name can be found online.
The modern Assyrian community links its heritage back to ancient Mesopotamia, an area now occupied by northern Iraq, Syria, Turkey and Iran. They are largely Christian or Catholic and often identify as culturally distinct from the majority Muslim Arab world.
Trump’s wild mispronunciation moment comes amid continued concerns about the 78-year-old’s age and cognitive abilities.
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Earlier this month, the New York Times published a piece questioning Trump’s once-esteemed communication skills, pointing to his rambling and irate speeches, recent lapses in memory and apparent decline in energy.
“He’s not competing at the level he was competing at eight years ago, no question about it,” former Trump staffer Anthony Scaramucci told the Times. “He’s lost a step. He’s lost an ability to put powerful sentences together.”
Trump would be the oldest person ever elected to the presidency if he wins come November.