NEW DELHI: India has strongly rejected comments shared by US President Donald Trump that referred to the country as a “hellhole,” calling them “uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste.”
The remarks originated from conservative commentator Michael Savage during an episode of The Savage Nation talk radio show. Trump reposted a transcript of the show on his Truth Social platform without adding any comment.
In the segment, Savage criticized US birthright citizenship and made derogatory references to immigrants, including those from India and China. Reuters could not independently reach Savage for comment.
Responding to the post, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said the comments did not reflect the reality of India–US relations.
“These 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,” spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
The US Embassy in New Delhi said the President had previously described India as a “great country” and referred to his “very good friend” in its leadership.
The controversy comes as the US continues to debate birthright citizenship policies, which the Trump administration has sought to restrict through legal and constitutional challenges.
The opposition Congress party in India also condemned the remarks, calling them “extremely insulting” and urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to formally raise the issue with Washington.
India–US relations remain strategically significant, with both countries currently engaged in discussions on trade and tariff arrangements as well as broader economic cooperation.