Serj Tankian Suggests System of a Down Drummer John Dolmayan Has Soured on Trump
System of a Down singer Serj Tankian has weighed back in on his long-running political disagreement with drummer John Dolmayan, telling Rolling Stone Italy that the verb tense matters: not "is," but "was."
In his 2024 memoir Down with the System, Tankian had described Dolmayan's Trump support using "is or was." Asked about it in the new interview, he confirmed which tense now applies: "The verb 'was' is the correct one. I think he, like a lot of people, has gotten tired of Trump."
A rift with a paper trail
The disagreement between the two bandmates is well documented. Dolmayan said in a 2025 conversation that he was relieved by Trump's election win, arguing it had restored "some sanity" to the situation. Tankian, for his part, had already called the divide "frustrating" as far back as 2020.
Tankian's memoir already dealt with the split publicly; this interview is his most direct update on where things stand. He added that Dolmayan had voted for Barack Obama before backing Trump, and noted that many in Los Angeles' Armenian community who voted for Trump have since expressed regret.
Not just bandmates
The relationship goes beyond the band. "He's also my brother-in-law," Tankian said. "Our kids are cousins, they see each other at family gatherings, which makes it all more complicated." He added, self-deprecatingly, that he's "definitely not the only one in the world" with an in-law who holds different political views.
Education spending and Trump's approval numbers
Tankian also made a broader structural point: "If you look at how much the U.S. has invested in education since Reagan took office in 1980, that explains a lot." He cited data from The Economist showing Trump's approval rating has fallen to a historic low of -25, which he linked to the war in Iran and its impact on ordinary Americans' lives.
What else is happening with the band
System of a Down recently wrapped a European tour. Last week the band announced a 2027 stadium tour of Australia and New Zealand co-headlining with Faith No More.