New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): India issued a sharp rebuke on Thursday, April 23, 2026, describing a social media repost by US President Donald Trump as “uninformed, inappropriate, and in poor taste.” The controversy erupted after Trump shared a transcript and video from conservative radio host Michael Savage, which referred to India and China as “hellholes” and described Indian and Chinese immigrants as “gangsters with laptops.”
The remarks were made in the context of Savage’s critique of birthright citizenship laws in the United States. He argued that the current legal system allows immigrants to exploit a loophole by arriving in their “ninth month of pregnancy” so their children become instant citizens, subsequently bringing their families from “China or India or some other hellhole on the planet.”
India’s Official Response
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that the remarks do not reflect the true state of the bilateral relationship.
“We have seen the comments, as also the subsequent statement issued by the US Embassy in response. The remarks are obviously uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste. They certainly do not reflect the reality of the India-US relationship, which has long been based on mutual respect and shared interests.”
US Embassy’s Damage Control
Following the backlash, the US Embassy in New Delhi sought to mitigate the diplomatic fallout. Embassy spokesperson Christopher Elms relayed a message highlighting Trump’s personal affinity for India’s leadership.
- The Clarification: The President has previously stated that “India is a great country with a very good friend of mine at the top,” referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- Context of Praise: The Embassy pointed to Trump’s 2025 remarks at a world leaders’ summit where he praised India’s role in global affairs following the Gaza ceasefire.
Key Points of the Controversy
- The Slur: The reposted content by Michael Savage labeled India a “hellhole” and its tech-savvy immigrants as “gangsters with laptops” who have “robbed us [the US] blind.”
- Political Reaction: The Indian Opposition, including the Congress party and TMC MP Mahua Moitra, criticized the government’s initial cautious response, with Congress calling for a stronger registration of objection directly with the US President.
- Institutional Concern: The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) expressed deep disturbance, urging Trump to delete the post, noting that it stokes hatred and xenophobia against Asian Americans at a time when racism is already at a high.
