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Washington: US lawmakers condemned a social media post by US President Donald Trump which referred to India and other countries as “hellholes”. Indian-American Congressmen Ami Bera, Ro Khanna and Raja Krishnamoorthi condemned Trump’s rhetoric while the Democratic Party’s representatives on the US House’s Foreign Affairs Committee criticised the President for sharing “racist trash” on social media.
US President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Thursday. (Bloomberg)“The comments shared by President Trump are offensive, ignorant, and beneath the dignity of the office he holds. They reflect a fundamental misunderstanding of who we are as a nation. America has always been strengthened by generations of immigrants who come here, work hard, and contribute to our country. They do not weaken America — they strengthen it,” said Congressman Bera in a statement.
“Donald Trump’s decision to amplify a racist rant attacking India and immigrants is disgraceful and beneath the office he holds. His rhetoric doesn’t just insult millions of Indian-Americans and one of our most important global partners — it undermines the values that have made America a nation of opportunity and innovation. We should be strengthening that partnership and honouring our diversity, not stoking division for political gain,” added Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi.
Congressman Ro Khanna, who is widely seen as a contender for the 2028 Presidential election, questioned Vice-President JD Vance on X asking if he agreed with Trump’s “hellhole” reference. Vance’s wife Usha is of Indian descent.
The controversy began on Thursday after Trump posted the transcript of a conservative political talk show on his Truth Social account.
“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,” reads the show’s transcript, which was posted in its entirety by Trump on his account. The Trump administration has launched a legal effort to end birthright citizenship, which grants US citizenship to anyone born on US soil.
In response to queries about Trump’s comment, the spokesperson for the US Embassy in New Delhi pointed to the US President’s past positive comments about India. “The President has said ‘India is a great country with a very good friend of mine at the top’,” the spokesperson said.
However, Democrats on the House Foreign Affairs Committee took exception to Trump sharing the post.
“The US is at war with Iran. Thirteen service members are dead, and the president has placed tens of thousands of Americans in harm’s way. Americans are struggling and he’s busy amplifying racist trash on social media, treating the presidency like a reality TV gig. This is a serious moment. Our country deserves leadership that acts like it,” they said in a post on X.
Indian-American groups like the Hindu-American Foundation (HAF) also expressed concern at Trump’s decision to amplify racially charged rhetoric at a time when racial attacks against Indian-Americans on social media sites have increased sharply. The HAF requested Trump to delete his post and recognise the contributions of Asian-Americans to the US.