they were “obviously uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste”.
Donald Trump sparked backlash after sharing a post describing India as a “hellhole”, with officials calling the remarks “obviously uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste”.
The controversy began when Trump took to his Truth Social platform and posted a four-page transcription of comments made by conservative podcast host Michael Savage.
The post’s remarks were also about China.
The transcript documents Savage as saying:
“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.”
Trump also shared a video of Savage delivering the same remarks.
India’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal condemned the comments shared by the US President.
He said they were “obviously uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste”.
He added: “They certainly do not reflect the reality of the India-US relationship, which has long been based on mutual respect and shared interests.”
India’s National Congress party also criticised the post, calling the remarks “extremely insulting and anti-Indian”.
The post also prompted criticism in the United States.
The Hindu American Foundation said it was disturbed by what it described as a “hateful, racist screed”.
The group wrote on X: “Endorsing such rants as the President of the United States will further stoke hatred and endanger our communities, at a time when xenophobia and racism are already at an all-time high.”
We are deeply disturbed by @POTUS sharing this hateful, racist screed targeting Indian and Chinese Americans.
Endorsing such rants as the president of the United States will further stoke hatred and endanger our communities, at a time when xenophobia and racism are already at an… pic.twitter.com/3lq6YrE9CT
— Hindu American Foundation (@HinduAmerican) April 23, 2026
Congressman Ami Bera, a Democrat whose parents are Indian immigrants, also criticised Trump’s post.
He called it “offensive, ignorant and beneath the dignity of the office he holds”.
He added:
“President Trump, who was born into wealth and privilege, has never had to struggle the way so many immigrant families have.”
The White House defended Trump’s repost.
Spokesperson Kush Desai said the President was “calling out the scam of unfettered birthright citizenship”.
China has not responded to the comments.
Trump has made immigration crackdowns a key part of his political agenda and has also targeted H-1B visas, which are commonly used by Indian tech workers.
The post comes ahead of a planned visit in May to India by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is expected to address recent tensions between the two countries.
Relations between India and the US have become strained after Trump imposed some of his highest tariffs on India, reportedly linked to its continued purchase of Russian oil.
Tensions also increased after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi downplayed Trump’s claims of playing a mediation role during a recent conflict between India and Pakistan.
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