NEW DELHI – India’s government has strongly criticized President Donald Trump after he shared a radio show transcript containing derogatory comments about the country in relation to immigration policy.
The controversy stems from remarks made by conservative radio host Michael Savage during his program “The Savage Nation.” Trump posted the show’s transcript on his Truth Social platform Thursday without adding his own commentary.
In the radio segment, Savage discussed birthright citizenship, stating: “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.”
Savage also claimed: “That there’s almost no loyalty to this country amongst the immigrant class coming in today, which was not always the case. No, they’re not like the European Americans of today and their ancestors.”
India’s foreign ministry responded swiftly to the shared comments late Thursday evening.
“The remarks are obviously uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste,” said Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for India’s foreign ministry.
“They certainly do not reflect the reality of the India-US relationship, which has long been based on mutual respect and shared interests,” Jaiswal added.
The U.S. embassy in New Delhi attempted to address the diplomatic tension, stating: “The president has said ‘India is a great country with a very good friend of mine at the top’.”
India’s primary opposition party, Congress, denounced the language as “extremely insulting and anti-India. It hurts every Indian.”
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi should take up this matter with the U.S. President and register a strong objection,” the party posted on social media platform X.
The comments come as Trump has issued directives aimed at limiting birthright citizenship in America, policies currently being contested before the U.S. Supreme Court. The president made an unprecedented appearance at a court hearing on the matter earlier this month.
According to Indian government statistics, approximately 5.5 million people of Indian heritage reside in the United States. Indian Americans and Chinese Americans represent the largest Asian-origin populations in the country.
The diplomatic relationship between Trump and Modi was notably positive during Trump’s previous presidency, though tensions emerged last year when India faced some of the steepest U.S. tariffs imposed on any nation. Many of those trade barriers have since been reduced, and both countries are currently negotiating a comprehensive trade agreement designed to prevent future tariff escalations while expanding bilateral commerce.
China’s foreign ministry has not yet provided a response to requests for comment regarding the radio host’s remarks.
