Some local Donald Trump supporters will rev up their engines this Sunday (Sept. 29) as a display of enthusiasm for the Republican presidential nominee.
Organized by activists from the D.C. area’s Vietnamese community, the Northern Virginia Car Rally for Trump will be “an unforgettable day of patriotism and support,” according to an event notice posted on the Fairfax County Republican Committee’s website.
“Bring your Trump gear and decorate your car with Trump flags and patriotic signs,” the notice says. “Meet fellow patriots, enjoy the camaraderie, and celebrate our shared values.”
The rally is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. in an office building parking lot at 8001 Braddock Road in North Springfield.
“The parking lot was chosen simply because it’s a convenient, empty space that’s been used for car meetups in the past,” she told FFXnow.
After meeting up, attendees will ultimately drive east to the Eden Center in Falls Church, a historic hub for the region’s Vietnamese community. According to Do, many businesses in the center will offer discounts and refreshments, including free sugar cane juice and ice coffee for Trump supporters.
Do, a longtime political activist who serves on the Virginia Council on Women and founded the American Minority Engagement Network, a nonprofit that promotes “conservative values,” says leaders in the region’s Vietnamese community organized the car rally “to show our enthusiasm” for Trump.
While the exact number of people and vehicles won’t be available until closer to the event, organizers “expect a strong turnout” after “seeing growing enthusiasm for President Trump in our community and the DMV,” Do said.
Though hardly a monolith, Vietnamese Americans are more likely to vote Republican compared to other Asian groups, and that trend has continued with Trump, despite an increase in anti-Asian violence during his presidency that at least one study linked to his characterization of the coronavirus. He has more recently been accused of xenophobic rhetoric, including against Chinese immigrants.
According to Do, that support for Trump is rooted in many Vietnamese Americans’ history of fleeing their country as refugees when North Vietnam’s communist government took over Saigon in 1975.
“Just like the Cuban, Venezuelan, and Nicaraguan communities, the Vietnamese community overwhelmingly supports President Trump because we came to America as refugees fleeing the horrors of communism,” she said. “We deeply value the freedom we found here in the United States. When communities like ours sense that liberty is under threat, it’s not just a feeling — it’s based on lived experience.”
Trump isn’t expected to appear at the car rally, but he visited the Eden Center in late August on the same day as his controversy-stirring appearance at Arlington National Cemetery.
Though the car rally was organized by Vietnamese activists, Do emphasizes that participants of all backgrounds are welcome.
“The rally is about showing the strong support for President Trump within the Vietnamese community,” Do said. “We want to make it clear that we are active, engaged, and enthusiastic as we head toward the election.”
Early voting for the Nov. 5 general election, which pits Trump against Vice President Kamala Harris, began last Friday (Sept. 20). Fairfax County will open additional voting sites on Oct. 17.
