On 24 April 2026, Iran’s consulate general in Mumbai publicly criticised former United States President Donald Trump after he endorsed and shared comments describing India as a “hellhole.” The remarks, originally made by conservative commentator Michael Savage, were reposted by Trump on his social media platform, sparking widespread condemnation from Indian officials and international observers.
According to The Indian Express, Iran’s consulate in Mumbai responded on X (formerly Twitter) by suggesting that Trump needed a “cultural detox” and inviting him to visit India before making such statements. The consulate’s post read, “Maybe someone should book a one-way cultural detox for Mr. #Trump, it might just reduce the random bakwaas. Kabhi India aa ke dekho, phir bolna.”
As reported by The Guardian, the controversy began when Trump shared a video and transcript of Savage’s remarks, which criticised US birthright citizenship laws and referred to India and China as “hellholes.” The post also included unfounded claims about Indian immigrants in the United States, alleging they do not hire white native-born Americans and lack English proficiency.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) officially condemned the remarks, with spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stating that the comments were “obviously uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste.” The MEA emphasised that such statements do not reflect the reality of the India-US relationship, which is based on mutual respect and shared interests as coverage revealed.
“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,” said Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs.
Further details indicated that the US Embassy in India also responded to the controversy, reiterating that Donald Trump had previously described India as a “great country” and referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “very good friend” as reporting indicated.
Diplomatic tensions have heightened ahead of a scheduled visit to India by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is expected to address recent strains in the bilateral relationship. The incident has drawn attention from advocacy groups and lawmakers, with some describing Trump’s endorsement of the remarks as “offensive” and “ignorant” at the end of the statement.
Iran’s intervention via its Mumbai consulate marks a rare instance of a third country publicly addressing US-India diplomatic discourse in such direct terms. The consulate’s message, delivered in colloquial Hindi, was widely shared on social media and interpreted as a call for greater cultural understanding as analysis showed.
“Maybe someone should book a one-way cultural detox for Mr. #Trump, it might just reduce the random bakwaas. Kabhi #India aa ke dekho, phir bolna,” the consulate’s post stated.
Reactions from Indian and international observers have underscored the sensitivity of such remarks in the context of India-US relations, especially as both countries navigate complex geopolitical dynamics in the region as details emerged.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.