A sharp exchange between congressional candidate Nick Tran and Texas state Rep. Gene Wu is drawing renewed attention to the debate over identity politics, government power, and the role of grievance-based rhetoric in American politics.

Tran, an immigrant, combat veteran, and political newcomer running for Congress in Texas, released remarks responding to comments made by Wu that framed American society in terms of “oppressors” and demographic power. Tran said the language reflects an ideology he believes divides Americans while shifting power away from citizens and toward Washington.

“I am tired of white Americans being told they should feel like strangers in their own country, and I'm saying that as an immigrant, I'm here visiting the greatest of my brothers that I serve with, most of them Caucasian who gave their lives for freedom to liberate those who were truly oppressed. Now, according to Gene Wu of Texas state rep from Houston. That makes me wrong,” Tran said.

The remarks came after Wu was shown in a video clip making comments about political power and shared oppression among minority communities.

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“The day the Latino, African American, Asian and other communities realize that they are, that they share the same oppressor, is the day we start winning, because we are the majority in this country now we are, we have the ability to take over this country,” Wu said.

Tran argued that Wu’s use of the word “oppressor” reflects a broader ideological framework that portrays Americans as victims rather than citizens with agency.

“Wait, did you hear that that word oppressor, that wasn't an accident, that's an ideology, because the fastest way to control people is to convince them they are victims. That's not empowerment, that's dependency, and that's how you distract and divide Americans by race and grievance, while real power quietly concentrates in Washington,” Tran said.

Tran contrasted what he described as grievance politics with the principles laid out by the nation’s Founders, emphasizing limits on government authority rather than consolidation of power.

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“The Founders warned us about tyranny, and they were very clear about where it comes from, not from your neighbor, not from your co worker. It comes from unchecked government power free people don't take over their country. We defend it. We limit government. So no one elected or not, can rule over the rest of us with an iron fist,” he said.

Tran also pointed to his 13 years of military service, including combat deployments, as evidence that Americans of different backgrounds can work together without seeing one another through the lens of oppression.

“I spent 13 years as an American soldier fighting in three wars against tyranny, liberating those who are truly oppressed. And you know what? The men to my left and right came from all different colors, black, brown, red, yellow, but most of them are white. They didn't treat me like a victim. They measured me by whether I showed up, whether I did my job and whether I had their six, they treated me like an equal,” Tran said.

“Those men weren't my oppressors. They were my brothers, my family,” he added.

Tran said his personal history fleeing communism after the fall of South Vietnam informs his skepticism of rhetoric that emphasizes victimhood and state power.

“I escaped communism when Vietnam fell. I know what happens when governments try to convince people they are powerless and need to be liberated by the state. That's how free nations fall,” Tran said.

He warned that the greatest danger to the United States is not internal division alone, but voter apathy combined with expanding government authority.

“The real threat that America is in our neighbors is apathy and a government that grows without limits while citizens stop pushing back. If we lose our country, it won't be because of corruption in government, but the complacency in the electorate,” Tran said.

Tran said those concerns ultimately motivated his decision to run for office.

“That's why I'm running for Congress. Because Washington doesn't need more grievance politics. It needs restraint, accountability, and representatives who believe Americans aren't powerless victims, but citizens who hold the power,” he said.

“It's not about where you were born is about where your allegiance lies. I'm Nick Tran, a combat veteran and political outsider running for Texas aids congressional district. I've had enough. We've all had enough. Now let's fix this together.”

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