MEA reacts cautiously to Trump’s ‘hellhole’ remark, Congress demands 'stronger response'

India has issued a measured response after US President Donald Trump reshared a video referring to India and China as “hellholes” amid the ongoing birthright citizenship debate in the United States.

Responding to media queries, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We have seen some reports,” without offering further comment on the issue.

The controversy stems from a video Trump shared on his Truth Social platform, originally featuring political commentator Michael Savage.

In the video, Savage criticised US immigration policies and used derogatory language for countries such as India and China while arguing against birthright citizenship.

Trump’s repost came a day after he claimed in an interview that the United States is the only country that grants citizenship by birth. However, several countries — including Canada, Mexico and a majority of South American nations — follow similar policies.

The US President has repeatedly called for ending birthright citizenship. After beginning his second term in January 2025, he signed an executive order seeking to restrict automatic citizenship in certain cases.

The move has been legally challenged, with experts arguing that the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution guarantees birthright citizenship. The matter is currently under consideration before the US Supreme Court.

The remarks also drew political reactions within India. The Congress party criticised the statement, calling it “insulting and unacceptable,” and urged the government to respond more firmly to such comments.

Earlier, the Consulate General of Iran in Hyderabad had reacted, describing India and China as “cradles of civilisation” while criticising the language used in the video. The response also referenced recent US positions towards Iran.

There has been no further official response from New Delhi so far.