System Of A Down drummer John Dolmayan has confirmed that he no longer supports Donald Trump, marking a notable shift from the position he has publicly expressed in recent years. Dolmayan says his change in outlook was largely prompted by Trump’s stance on Israel and the ongoing war in Gaza.
The development follows recent comments from Serj Tankian, who suggested that describing Dolmayan as a Trump supporter in the present tense would no longer be accurate. During a recent interview with Rolling Stone Italy, Tankian acknowledged that he did not want to speak for his brother-in-law politically, but indicated that Dolmayan’s position had changed.
“First of all, I don’t want to speak for John about his political views; that wouldn’t be fair. I can say that the verb ‘was’ is correct. I can’t say for sure that it still is. I think he, too, got tired of Trump, like many others. Do differences make things more difficult? Of course. But there are also many points on which we agree.”
Tankian also pointed out that the political differences between the two musicians extend into their family life, given that Dolmayan is married to Tankian’s sister.
“He’s also my brother-in-law. So it’s even more complicated. Our children are together all the time. They’re cousins. We see each other at family gatherings. That part is complicated.”
Dolmayan has now confirmed that Tankian’s assessment was correct. Speaking with The Armenian Report, the drummer explained that his previous support for Trump was never based solely on the former president himself, and that he continues to agree with some of his policies.
“It was never just about Trump. Though many of his policies were unpopular, they were effective and I agree with many of them.”
At the same time, Dolmayan has long expressed frustration with what he views as blind loyalty to political movements. He says his own views are not tied permanently to either side of the political spectrum.
“Where I had, and still have, a problem is with myopic and or zealot-like loyalty to any political group. Either liberal or conservative. MAGA or Antifa. When the ideology becomes a ritual or a religion it also becomes a divider and destroyer of conversation.”
The System Of A Down drummer went on to identify the war in Gaza and what he views as Trump’s support for Israel as the specific issue that ultimately changed his opinion.
“I abhor injustice, cannot support Israel’s terrorist regime and will not watch as children are butchered by the same people who should be the most sensitive to genocide.”
Dolmayan was even more direct when explaining how that position affected his view of Trump.
“My opinion of Trump changed with this ‘new information’ of his allegiance to a genocidal regime.”
Dolmayan’s comments mark a notable evolution from his previous public support for Trump. He has frequently found himself politically opposed to Tankian, who has been considerably more left-leaning in his own public commentary.
Despite those differences, however, Dolmayan maintains that the pair’s relationship has remained intact. Their connection extends well beyond System Of A Down, as the two are also brothers-in-law.
“Serj is my friend, my band member and my brother-in-law. It doesn’t matter to me if he’s right or wrong about a subject. He’s not perfect and neither am I.”
Dolmayan also stressed that he does not consider himself loyal to either of America’s major political parties, instead preferring to change his opinions as circumstances and information change.
“I have no loyalty to either party. With new information and new representatives I change my opinion based on the facts.”
That philosophy has been reflected in Dolmayan’s political evolution over the years. He has previously explained that he moved toward the left earlier in his life before eventually shifting back toward the right over issues that became important to him.
His latest comments make his current position considerably clearer: John Dolmayan is no longer a Trump supporter, even though he continues to agree with some of the policies associated with the former president. For Dolmayan, Trump’s approach to Israel and the Gaza war became a line he was ultimately unwilling to cross.
And despite the political disagreements between the members of System Of A Down, Dolmayan says the band’s long-running ability to maintain their personal relationship has come down to respecting one another’s right to disagree.
“What’s important is we respect each other and hear each other out. Something I think we do very well.”
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