India strongly criticised US President Donald Trump for amplifying a post that described India as a “hellhole on the planet,” calling the remarks uninformed, inappropriate, in poor taste and not reflective of the broader bilateral relationship.

The Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi had noted both the original comments and the subsequent clarification issued by the US Embassy, stressing that the remarks did not represent the reality of India–US ties, which are built on mutual respect and shared interests.

The controversy began when Trump reposted content from conservative radio host Michael Savage on Truth Social. Savage’s comments, made on his Savage Nation podcast, referred to countries including India and China as “hellholes on the planet” while criticising birthright citizenship in the United States. 

He argued against the Citizenship Clause, claiming it was misused by immigrants from countries such as India and China. Savage alleged that children born in the US become “instant citizens” and later enable family members from these countries to immigrate.

His letter went further, describing Indian and Chinese immigrants as “gangsters with laptops” who had “stepped on our flag.” Trump reposted both a transcript and video clip of these remarks, which also criticised the US Supreme Court’s role in shaping birth right citizenship law and called for a national referendum on the issue.

Earlier in the day, India signalled its displeasure without directly criticising Trump, with Jaiswal saying only, “We’ve seen some reports. That’s where I’ll leave it.” Hours later, the US Embassy attempted damage control, emphasising Washington’s ties with New Delhi and quoting Trump as saying, “India is a great country with a very good friend of mine at the top.”

Trump’s repost came as he continues a legal battle over birth right citizenship. His administration is challenging lower court rulings that blocked an executive order signed in January 2025, which aimed to limit automatic citizenship for children born to parents living in the US illegally or temporarily. Several courts have blocked the order, with at least one judge calling it unconstitutional.

The controversy also drew sharp political reactions in India. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on the matter, questioning whether he would respond to what he described as “intimidation” and “indignation” of 140 crore Indians.


Kharge asked what Modi was afraid of and why India was not raising the issue at the highest level with the American government. He tweeted that Modi’s “dear friend” had shared a note abusing India and using a disparaging term, yet Modi remained silent.

Kharge emphasised that Indians had played a vital role in America’s success and demanded to know what was stopping India from taking a stronger stand.

Agencies