‘Have Seen Some Reports’: MEA Responds After Trump Reshares ‘Hellhole’ Remark on India

New Delhi: India's Ministry of External Affairs has responded cautiously after US President Donald Trump reshared a post by conservative radio host Michael Savage that referred to India and China as "hellhole[s] on the planet" in the context of US birthright citizenship.

MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, said: "We've seen some reports. That's where I'll leave it."

On Truth Social, President Trump reshared Savage's remark criticizing automatic US citizenship for children born on American soil. The post argued that the policy creates "anchor babies" who can later sponsor family members, enabling chain migration "from China, or India, or some other hell-hole on the planet."

The remarks have triggered strong reactions in India, with many viewing them as dismissive of the world's largest democracy and a key US strategic partner. Indian social media users expressed indignation, pointing out India's contributions as a major source of skilled tech professionals and its growing economic and geopolitical importance.

Trump has long argued that birthright citizenship, often called jus soli, is an outdated loophole exploited by illegal immigrants and temporary visa holders. His administration maintains that the 14th Amendment, ratified after the Civil War to grant citizenship to formerly enslaved people, does not extend automatic citizenship to children of non-citizens or those not fully "subject to the jurisdiction" of the United States.

The issue is currently before the Supreme Court in the case Trump v. Barbara. Oral arguments were heard earlier this month, with the president making a rare personal appearance. The case challenges the long-standing interpretation of the 14th Amendment and examines the legality of Trump's executive order on the matter.