Trump Shares Post Calling India a "Hellhole"; India Calls Remarks "Inappropriate"

U.S. President Donald Trump shared a social media post on Wednesday that included a transcript from conservative podcast host Michael Savage in which Savage referred to India as a "hellhole" and criticized birthright citizenship. The post, made on Trump's Truth Social platform, also made claims about Indian immigrants without providing supporting evidence, including accusations that they do not hire white Americans and lack English proficiency.

"Uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste."
— India's Ministry of External Affairs, responding to the remarks

Indian Government Response

India's Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement through spokesman Randhir Jaiswal, who described the remarks as "uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste." Jaiswal added that the comments do not reflect the reality of India-U.S. relations, which he stated are based on mutual respect.

U.S. Political Reaction

Democratic Congressman Ami Bera, whose parents are Indian immigrants, called the post "offensive, ignorant and beneath the dignity of the office."

Community Reaction

The Hindu American Foundation expressed disturbance at what it described as a "hateful, racist screed" and warned that such rhetoric could "further stoke hatred and endanger communities amid rising xenophobia and racism."

Indian Opposition Reaction

Indian opposition leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge and Mahua Moitra, criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not commenting publicly on Trump's post.

Background on U.S.-India Relations

Prime Minister Modi has previously referred to Trump as a "dear friend," and Trump has called Modi "one of my greatest friends." In 2020, Modi hosted Trump at a large event titled "Namaste Trump" in Ahmedabad. The U.S. Embassy in India responded to the incident by noting Trump's positive view of India and Modi.

Relations between the two countries have faced recent strains. The Trump administration imposed tariffs on India, including a 25% penalty for India's purchase of Russian oil, though a lower tariff rate was announced in February.