Trump courts Vietnamese voters with surprise restaurant visit
By Carl Samson
In a surprising move to court Vietnamese American voters, former President Donald Trump visited Truong Tien, a popular Vietnamese restaurant at the Eden Center in Falls Church, Virginia, following a wreath-laying ceremony in Arlington on Monday. There, he also endorsed Senate candidate Hung Cao, a Vietnamese refugee and retired U.S. Navy captain looking to unseat Democrat Sen. Tim Kaine in November.
- What happened: Trump, who seldom dined in public during his presidency, sampled traditional Vietnamese dishes such as banh khoai and bun thit nuong in his private visit, which was attended by about 35 people. Despite the controversy surrounding his record with the Asian American community, his visit led to a 300% increase in the restaurant’s sales that day. “I can’t imagine a former president, a big person, most powerful person come here and come to a small restaurant and wishes the owners the best,” Truong told WUSA9.
- The big picture: Trump’s surprise visit underscores his effort to secure support from key demographic groups, particularly in swing states like Virginia. By endorsing Hung Cao, Trump aims to bolster his influence within the Vietnamese American community, which has shown a notable Republican-leaning tendency compared to other Asian American groups. “Somehow, I don’t know what it is, you’ll have to explain it, but the Vietnamese community loves me, and I love them,” Trump said.
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