'Trump loves India': Marco Rubio defends US President after 'hellhole' row

An American journalist raised concerns over online racism faced by Indians and Indian Americans, referring to a controversial social media post previously shared by US President Donald Trump that described India as a “hellhole”.

Rubio initially said he was unaware of the specific post being referenced and believed the question was about general online commentary.

“I don't know who he was talking about. I assumed he was referring to random things people post online,” Rubio said, adding that such posts could come from “a troll” or “a bot.”

Rubio says Trump loves India”

When the reporter clarified that the remark referred to a post shared by Trump earlier this year, Rubio said the journalist had not specified that during the initial question.

“Well, I gave him a chance to tell me that, that's not what he said,” Rubio stated.

Defending the US President’s position on India, Rubio said Trump remains a strong supporter of the country and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“The president loves India. He said it last night as well. The president is a big fan of India and a big fan of Prime Minister Modi,” Rubio said, adding that his own visit reflected the importance the Trump administration places on ties with New Delhi.

He also pointed to the appointment of US Ambassador-designate Sergio Gor as evidence of the administration’s commitment to strengthening bilateral relations.

'Every country has stupid people'

Addressing broader concerns about racist remarks online, Rubio said offensive comments on social media are unfortunately common across countries.

“People say stupid stuff all the time on social media in every country in the world,” he remarked.

Rubio added that the United States takes such issues seriously and acknowledged the contribution of immigrants, including Indians and Indian Americans, to American society.

“Our nation has been enriched by people who have come to our country from all over the world, become Americans, assimilated into our way of life, and contributed greatly,” he said.

The exchange referenced a controversy from April when Trump reshared a derogatory post by a podcaster referring to India as a “hellhole.”

At the time, India’s Ministry of External Affairs responded indirectly, with MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stating that such comments did not reflect the reality of the India-US partnership, which is rooted in “mutual respect and shared interests.”

Rubio meets PM Modi during India visit

Rubio is currently on a four-day visit to India and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on Saturday.

Following the meeting, Rubio briefed the Prime Minister on progress in bilateral cooperation across sectors, while Modi reiterated that India and the United States would continue working closely for “global good.”