Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Apr 24: India on Thursday strongly criticised US President Donald Trump for endorsing a social media post that described India as a “hellhole on the planet,” calling the remarks “uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste.”
Responding to media queries, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi had taken note of both the original comments and 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.
The controversy erupted after Trump reposted content on Truth Social from conservative radio host Michael Savage, who criticised birthright citizenship in the United States and referred to countries such as India and China using derogatory language.
In the shared content, Savage argued that children born in the US automatically gain citizenship and later enable immigration of family members from countries like India and China. The remarks also included offensive descriptions of immigrants, triggering widespread backlash.
Amid the row, the US Embassy attempted to contain the fallout, reiterating strong bilateral ties and quoting Trump as saying that India is a “great country” with a “very good friend” at the top leadership.
The issue has also drawn political reactions in India. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not responding strongly to the remarks, questioning the government’s silence on what he termed an “insult” to the country.
Meanwhile, Democratic Party leaders in the US also condemned Trump, accusing him of amplifying offensive content at a time when the country faces significant global challenges.
The controversy comes as Trump continues his legal push to restrict birthright citizenship, an issue currently under judicial scrutiny in the United States after multiple courts blocked his executive order aimed at limiting automatic citizenship for certain US-born children.