How Trump Is Undermining U.S.-Vietnam Postwar Reconciliation
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US Diplomat Attends Parade Marking 50th Anniversary of End of Vietnam War
Above: People take part in a parade marking the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War and the reunification of Vietnam on April 30, 2025, in Ho Chi Minh City. Image copyright: Thanh Hue/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
While it is not common for U.S. diplomats in Vietnam to be part of the April 30th parades, this anniversary was a special occasion drawing the attention of a number of Americans. The U.S. ambassador — himself a son of a Vietnam veteran — failed to attend the event, which caused unease, but the consul general was there at least. The Trump administration should be more careful in regard to Vietnam as its shortsighted policies and tariffs are undermining decades of reconciliation efforts.
Establishment-critical narrative
That U.S. Consul General Susan Burns attended the April 30th event represents a missed opportunity for Washington to honor Americans who died for the cause of freedom in Vietnam and to deliver a strong message to Hanoi. Because President Trump won the election on an America First platform, his administration should prevent the communist regime in Vietnam from continuing to exploit its relations with the U.S. while promoting anti-American propaganda and deepening its alliance with China.