- India criticizes Trump’s repost calling countries ‘hellholes’.
- Remarks were uninformed and inappropriate, not reflecting ties.
- US embassy clarifies Trump views India as a key partner.
- Comments stemmed from US immigration debate and birthright citizenship.
India on Thursday sharply criticised a social media repost by US President Donald Trump that referred to India and several other countries as “hellholes”, calling the remarks “uninformed” and “inappropriate”.
The controversy erupted after Trump shared comments made by American radio host Michael Savage, who used the term while discussing immigration and a legal challenge to birthright citizenship in the United States.
Diplomatic Pushback and Clarification Efforts
The Indian government reacted swiftly, with External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stating that the remarks did not reflect the reality of bilateral ties. He noted that New Delhi had also taken note of a subsequent clarification issued by the US embassy.
“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,” Jaiswal said.
Amid the backlash, the US embassy attempted to contain the fallout, reiterating Trump’s purported view of India as a key partner. A spokesperson said the president considers India “a great country” led by a “good friend of mine”, though no details were provided on when or where Trump made that statement.
Comments Rooted in Immigration Debate
Savage’s original remarks were made in the context of a case before the US Supreme Court concerning birthright citizenship. He argued that existing legal provisions allow immigrants to take advantage of the system by entering the country late in pregnancy.
According to Savage, such a practice creates a pathway for a child born in the US to automatically gain citizenship, after which families could follow from countries like “China or India or some other hellhole on the planet”.
The repost has since triggered diplomatic unease, raising questions about the tone of discourse surrounding immigration and its potential impact on international relations.
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