‘Offensive, Ignorant, Beneath Dignity’: Indian-Origin US Lawmakers Hit Out At Trump Over ‘Hell-Hole’ Remark

Last Updated:April 24, 2026, 12:30 IST

Representative Ami Bera, the longest-serving Indian American member of Congress, strongly commended Trump and labelled his remarks as “offensive, ignorant.”

Slamming Trump he said that the president “never had to struggle” like the immigrant families do as he was born into “wealth and privilege”.

Trump Hell Hole Remark Row: US President Donald Trump triggered a massive row after he reposted a transcript of a conservative political talk show hosted by American radio host Michael Savage, in which Savage referred to India, China and other nations as “hellholes” and accused the countries of exploiting America’s birthright citizenship privileges.

The post, which reportedly included disparaging language and negative characterisations of India, triggered swift reactions from Indian-origin US lawmakers and officials.

Representative Ami Bera, the longest-serving Indian American member of Congress, strongly commended Trump and labelled his remarks as “offensive, ignorant, and beneath the dignity of the office he holds.”

In a long post on X, Bera described his Indian heritage and penned the post through the lens of the immigrant experience.

“As the son of immigrants from India, I take great pride in both my heritage and in the country that gave my family the opportunity to build a better life. My parents came to the United States legally in search of that opportunity,” he said.

He went on to explain that his mother worked as a public school teacher for 35 years and his father worked as an engineer. He also emphasised his own journey as emblematic of the American Dream.

“My mother spent 35 years working as a public school teacher. My father worked as an engineer. They instilled in my brothers and me a deep belief in hard work, public service, and giving back to the country that welcomed them,” he said.

“I am a product of that American story. I attended California’s public schools from kindergarten through medical school, became a doctor, and now have the privilege of serving our nation in Congress. That is what the American Dream looks like,” the US lawmaker added.

The California Democratic leader further argued that Trump’s remarks reflect “a fundamental misunderstanding of who we are as a nation,” stressing that immigrants have historically played a central role in strengthening the United States.

Bera, in his closing remarks, sought to reframe the narrative around immigration and national identity. “America was built by people from all over the world who believed in its promise and worked tirelessly to make it better for the next generation,” he said. “We are a nation of immigrants, and we are stronger because of it.”

Another US lawmaker Raja Krishnamoorthi hit out at the US President and labelled his post as “a racist rant.”

In a post on X, Krishnamoorthi said that such remarks insult millions of Indian Americans and strain ties with one of the United States’ key global partners.

“Donald Trump’s decision to amplify a racist rant attacking India and immigrants is disgraceful and beneath the office he holds. His rhetoric doesn’t just insult millions of Indian Americans and one of our most important global partners—it undermines the values that have made America a nation of opportunity and innovation. We should be strengthening that partnership and honoring our diversity, not stoking division for political gain,” he said.

What’s The Row?

A row was triggered after the US President reposted a transcript of a conservative political talk show hosted by American radio host Michael Savage, in which Michael Savage referred to India, China and other nations as “hellholes”- describing them as places from which people travel to the United States in their ninth month of pregnancy to secure automatic citizenship for their children under American birthright citizenship law.

Trump also shared the video and full transcript of Michael Savage’s podcast Savage Nation, in which the host called for a national referendum on birthright citizenship rather than leaving the matter to the courts, and sharply criticised the US Supreme Court’s ongoing deliberations on the issue.

Later, he clarified his stance with the American Embassy in New Delhi saying that Trump considered India “a great country” led by “a very good friend of mine.”

India Opposes Trump’s Comment

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also sharply criticised remarks amplified by Trump and said, “We have seen the comments, as also the subsequent statement issued by the US Embassy in response. The 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.”

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