India slams Trump’s ‘hellhole’ remark as ‘uninformed,’ says it misrepresents India-US ties

India on Thursday criticised remarks made by US President Donald Trump in a social media post that referred to Indians as part of a “hellhole” comment, calling the remarks “uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste,” and asserting that they do not reflect the true nature of bilateral ties.

Responding to queries on the issue, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi had taken note of both the original comments and a subsequent clarification issued by the US Embassy.


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“We have seen the comments, as also the subsequent statement issued by the US Embassy in response. 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,” MEA said.

The controversy stems from a repost by Trump amplifying remarks made by US radio host Michael Savage, who referred to India, China and other countries as “hellholes” in the context of a debate around birthright citizenship before the US Supreme Court.

Amid the backlash, the US Embassy in New Delhi sought to contain the fallout, highlighting Trump’s positive view of India.

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A spokesperson said the US President has described India in favourable terms, adding, “India is a great country with a very good friend of mine at the top,” in an apparent reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Earlier, Jaiswal had responded cautiously to initial reports, saying, “We have seen some reports. That is where I leave it.”