Say Her Name, Too

The most brilliant political strategist of our time, Donald J. Trump, understands.

As an NPR journalist explained in July of 2020

... the names of Black women who were also killed are generally missing from Americans' collective memories, says Kimberlé Crenshaw, co-founder and executive director of the African American Policy Forum. The Say Her Name campaign, created by Crenshaw's group in 2014, is meant to include women in the national conversation about race and policing. A few women's names and stories, such as Breonna Taylor, who was shot and killed by Louisville, Ky., police executing a no-knock search warrant in March, have been part of the Black Lives Matter movement. But others have not — women such as Michelle Cusseaux and Kayla Moore.

The Black Lives Matter movement generally failed, perhaps in part because the Say Her Name Campaign did not gain much traction. Other than that of  Ms. Taylor, the names of these women did not become commonly known and even in late 2020, the "Breonna Taylor" was probably unknown to a great many Americans.

Nonetheless, the concept was a very wise one, which- in his own twisted way- Mr. Trump understands.

During Elizabeth Warren's 2012 Senate campaign in Massachusetts, she claimed to have some Native American/American Indian/ tribal ancestry, which she since has largely verified and which evidently never was used for political gain. It gained currency, though, with identification of "Pocahontas" with Senator Warren during Trump's first presidential campaign, in 2016.

At that time, Trump was asked a question about Elizabeth Warren and in the next 85 seconds of condemning her because she had claimed a measure of tribal ancestry, mentioned the Senator's name once. 

When in April of 2017 President Trump spoke before the NRA, he said that the Democratic field of candidates for the 2020 presidential nomination would be swamped, and added "it may be Pocahontas, remember that, and she is not big for the NRA, that I can tell 'ya."

Soon after, in May, a bi-partisan organization which describes itself as "the oldest, largest and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization in the country," issued a statement noting

In the next election, you are going to be swamped with candidates, but you’re not going to be wasting your time…It may be Pocahontas, remember that,” said President Trump during his NRA address, referring to Senator Elizabeth Warren. While campaigning for president in 2016, candidate Trump also invoked the name of the well-known historical Native figure to belittle Warren. In fact, the cultural misappropriation of Native American cultures and traditions unfortunately was a common occurrence during the 2016 election season, with multiple attacks by candidates and their surrogates during debates, rallies, and live broadcast appearances. As an example, radio personality Howie Carr conducted a war whoop while on the podium at a presidential rally.

Later that year, in November, President Trump

 revived his derogatory nickname for Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., on Monday, referring to her as "Pocahontas" during an event honoring Native American veterans at the White House.

 Trump told the veterans: "You were here long before any of us were here. Although we have a representative in Congress who they say was here a long time ago. They call her Pocahontas."

The families of the Navajo war veterans who were honored were, ahem, not amused.

In the first State of the Union Address of his second term, Trump received relatively little response following one applause line, then followed it with "you want to keep it going for another five minutes, yea, yea, you would say "Pocahontas says yes." He then changed subjects while Elizabeth Warren, who finally has figured it out, smiled and applauded.

 

America's foremost bigot and budding fascist is at it again:

Trump on the debt ceiling: "Pocahontas even agreed with me. She's been wanting to get rid of the debt ceiling because she said it's too violent. It is violent." pic.twitter.com/Kd33uBEJV4

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 18, 2025

He does it periodically because he gets no pushback; it's a freebie, a shout-out to his supporters which garners little attention from the media. He gets a pass because he is clever enough not to mention Warren's name, except when necessary to make it absolutely clear of whom he is speaking.

So say her name, as the African-American Policy Forum should appreciate. The President, unless he has no choice, does not. His base, undoubtedly approving, knows who he's talking about while two or three of them know the actual details of the case.

Those details now are irrelevant, especially while Trump is President of the United States of America and Elizabeth Warren is only one of 100 senators. But say her name. Trump loves to punch down. However, doing so becomes less effective and more risky when the opponent's name is acknowledged. 

Directly connect the name of a US Senator and a misunderstood young woman from the 1600s. In its 2017 statement, the NCAI commented "we cannot and will not stand silent when our Native ancestors, cultures, and histories are used in a derogatory manner for political gain."  That organization may not, but the news media does when it stays silent, or changes the subject, when Trump invokes "Pocahontas." At a minimum one reporter can ask the President "who are you talking about, Mr. President" or "please tell us whom you are talking about, Sir."

Trump might ignore the question or more likely, attack the interlocutor, thus making clear the value of the question. In either case, the news outlet could- and should- report that the President refused to answer the query. If he does mention Warren, he lays bare bigotry beyond reference to "Pocahontas.". Whatever the response, it is a legitimate question and the reporter and his/her emplyer will survive.

Share |