India’s Ministry of External Affairs declined to engage substantively with US President Donald Trump’s use of the word “hellhole” in reference to India and China, with spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal offering a brief, measured response at a press briefing on Thursday. Asked about Trump’s remark, Jaiswal said: “We have seen some reports. That’s where I leave it.”
What Trump Said
Trump had reposted a transcript from a conservative talk show hosted by Michael Savage, which discussed US birthright citizenship. In the excerpt, Savage alleged that people arrive in the United States late in pregnancy to secure automatic citizenship for their child, and subsequently bring family members from other countries.
Trump’s post included the following passage: “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. You don’t have to go too far to see that. English is not spoken here anymore. That there’s almost no loyalty to this country amongst the immigrant class coming in today, which was not always the case.”
The post further alleged systemic bias in US employment and immigration systems, stating: “You have to be from India or China because almost all the internal mechanisms are set up to run by Indians and Chinese.”
VIDEO | On US president Donald Trump's social media post mentioning India and China as 'hellhole', MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) says, "We have seen some reports. That's where I leave it."
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 23, 2026
(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/n147TvrpG7)#Delhi pic.twitter.com/I70F7pfCl9
It also claimed that the integration seen in earlier waves of European immigration was “long over,” arguing that the United States had shifted from a “melting pot” to a “cash in pot.” Trump additionally criticised the US Constitution as outdated, contending it was not suited for modern realities such as air travel and the internet.
Congress Condemns Remark, Targets Modi Government
The Indian National Congress reacted sharply, calling Trump’s comment “extremely insulting and anti-India” and demanding a firm response from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“US President Trump has called India a ‘HELLHOLE,'” the Congress said, adding that the remark “hurts every Indian” and urging the Prime Minister to raise the issue directly with Washington. The party also took a pointed dig at Modi, stating: “However, given his track record so far, it cannot be expected that he will say anything in front of Trump.”
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Iran Defends India and China, Takes Aim at Trump
Iran, currently locked in a significant conflict with the United States, stepped in to defend both nations. The Consulate General of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Hyderabad posted on X: “China and India are the cradles of civilisation. In fact, the #hellhole is where its war criminal president threatened to decimate the civilisation in Iran.”
The post was a direct reference to Trump’s earlier warning that “a whole civilisation will die tonight” if Iran did not agree to his terms to end the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.