India issued a sharp diplomatic response after Donald Trump shared remarks describing the country as a “hellhole,” calling the comments “uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste.”
The controversy followed Trump’s repost on his Truth Social platform of a transcript from conservative commentator Michael Savage, who made the remarks during an episode of The Savage Nation.
“A baby here becomes an instant citizen, and then they bring the entire family in from China or India or some other hellhole on the planet,” Savage said, according to the transcript shared by Trump.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs responded strongly, distancing the country from the remarks and reaffirming the strength of bilateral relations with the United States.
“The remarks are obviously uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste,” foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
“They certainly do not reflect the reality of the India-US relationship, which has long been based on mutual respect and shared interests,” he added.
The US Embassy in New Delhi moved to contain the fallout, reiterating Trump’s previously stated views about India.
“The president has said ‘India is a great country with a very good friend of mine at the top’,” the embassy said in a statement.
The remarks triggered political backlash within India, with the opposition Indian National Congress condemning the statement as “extremely insulting and anti-India.”
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi should take up this matter with the US President and register a strong objection,” the party said, referring to Narendra Modi.
The incident came amid ongoing debate in the United States over birthright citizenship, which Trump has sought to restrict through policy directives currently facing legal challenges, including proceedings at the US Supreme Court.
Despite the diplomatic tension, both countries have maintained longstanding ties, with millions of people of Indian origin living in the United States. Indian Americans remain one of the largest immigrant groups in the country.
Relations between Washington and New Delhi had previously been strong during Trump’s first term but cooled after trade disputes, including the imposition of high US tariffs on Indian goods last year. Many of those tariffs were later rolled back, and both sides have since been working toward a new trade agreement aimed at strengthening economic cooperation.
The latest exchange underscored the sensitivity of diplomatic language, particularly as both nations navigate complex political and economic engagements.
Erizia Rubyjeana
