Iran mocks Trump over 'hellhole' remark on India amid backlash
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Iran's diplomatic missions in India have ridiculed Donald Trump after he reposted comments branding India a "hellhole", drawing sharp rebukes from New Delhi.
The Iranian Consulate in Mumbai took to X, suggesting Trump undergo a "cultural detox" to curb his "random bakwaas (nonsense)". "Come visit India and see it yourself, then speak," it urged.
The Hyderabad consulate reposted the message, extolling India's cultural bounty—from Mumbai's "tea with bun maska, vada pav, and pav bhaji" to South India's "heaven mode".
India's Ministry of External Affairs slammed the remarks as "uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste", insisting they misrepresent the robust US-India ties built on "mutual respect and shared interests". Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal noted both the comments and a US Embassy clarification quoting Trump praising India as a "great country".
The row stems from Trump's endorsement on Truth Social of conservative host Michael Savage's podcast, which decried US birthright citizenship as exploited by immigrants from "hellholes" like India and China. Savage alleged it allows "instant citizens" to sponsor families, branding some as "gangsters with laptops" who "step on our flag".
Trump's repost aligns with his administration's legal push against birthright citizenship, via an executive order blocked by courts as unconstitutional.
The US Embassy swiftly clarified, distancing from the slur while affirming strong bilateral bonds.