‘Never Seen Anything Like This’: President Trump Receives Grand Welcome in India
President Trump: “The United States and India are committed to working together to stop terrorists and fight their ideology.”
Hundreds of thousands of Indians came out to welcome U.S. President Donald Trump and First lady Melania Trump in the northwestern city of Ahmadabad as he began a two-day tour of the country. This is his first official visit to the Asian country.
Crowds cheered President Trump as he rode in the armored presidential limousine, “The Beast,” along the 22-km route from the airport to the Motera stadium, venue for the “Namaste Trump” rally.
“Namaste Trump” Rally
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined President Trump at the Motera stadium, where they both addressed a gathering of over 100,000. Tens of thousands of attendees donned white “Namaste Trump” hats bearing the U.S and Indian flags. People view the event as a sequel to the September 2019 “Howdy Modi!” rally. About 50,000 Indian-Americans showed up for that event in Houston, Texas.
In motorcade en route to the stadium. I’ve never seen anything like this. Unbelievable!!!! #NamasteTrump pic.twitter.com/EwFm3hZjgc
— Dan Scavino Jr.?? (@Scavino45) February 24, 2020
“The US will always be faithful and loyal friend of India. Thank you for the spectacular welcome,” President Trump said.
The Times of India newspaper reported the opening events of the two-day presidential visit:
US President Donald Trump landed here on Monday for his first visit to India to a grand welcome by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and thousands of people who lined the streets and packed into the Motera stadium to say “Namaste Trump”.
There were tableaux, folk dancers and musicians rolling out to the cultural tapestry that is India, at the airport, on the way and at the spanking new cricket stadium where about 100,000 people waited patiently since early in the morning to hear the two leaders speak.
Trump stepped out wearing a black suit and a buttercup yellow tie while the first lady was in a white jumpsuit by French-American costume designer Herve Pierre. In a hat tip to Indian textiles, the jumpsuit was paired with a green silk with gold thread embroidery discovered by the designer in an early 20th century Indian textile documents given to him by his friends.
The 22-km ‘India roadshow’ began as the cavalcade, with the the US president’s gleaming black car that has earned the moniker ‘The Beast’, moved out of the airport towards the Ashram [a Hindu monastery-turned museum associated with Mahatma Gandhi] and then to stadium. About 50 stages were set up on the way, showcasing dance groups and singers from different parts of the country.
Over 10,000 police personnel, besides officials of the United States Secret Service, and personnel of the National Security Guards (NSG) and the Special Protection Group (SPG) were deployed for the high profile visit.
(…) Trump and Modi resumed their roadshow till Motera stadium, the stage for the “Namaste Trump” event that saw a cultural extravaganza and addresses by the two leaders waving at the crowd during the ‘Howdy Modi’ event in Houston last year. Also put up along the road were replicas of historic places in Gujarat.
Watch: President Trump’s full speech
Welcome to India @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/EOweSVwnXG
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 24, 2020
Following the rally, President Trump and the First Lady headed to the northern Indian city of Agra, home to the famous monument Taj Mahal. A similar welcome was accorded by the city as well, with thousands showing up to greet the visiting U.S. leader.
US President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania in ‘awe’ of Taj Mahal: Here’s what they wrote in visitors’ book. | #ModiTrumpSummit https://t.co/q9tSeYVFHb
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) February 24, 2020
US, India United in Fight Against “Radical Islamic Terrorism”
Trump has backed India in its fight against Islamic terrorism. He offered to provide “India with some of the best and most feared military equipment on the planet” in its fight against “radical Islamic terrorism,” to use his own words.
“Every nation has the right to secure and controlled borders,” the U.S. President said in his speech. “The United States and India are committed to working together to stop terrorists and fight their ideology.”
Indian newspaper The Economic Times reported President Trump’s comments:
India and the US are committed to defend their people from radical Islamic terrorism, resolved to significantly expand defence ties and are working on a “fantastic” trade deal, said US President Donald Trump on Monday while asserting that his country “loves” and is “loyal” to India. (…)
“India and the US are committed to fight terrorists and their ideology; that is why my government is working with Pakistan to crack down on terror groups,” Trump said (….).
“The US will always be faithful and loyal friend of India. Thank you for the spectacular welcome,” he added.
He also announced that the two countries will firm up defence deals worth $3 billion on Tuesday and that the US will become India’s premier defence partner.“India and US have natural and enduring friendship,” Trump said to a cheering crowd.
Our two national constitutions both begin with the same three beautiful words: “We the people.” That means that in America and India alike, we honor, respect, trust, empower, and fight for the citizens we proudly serve! ???? pic.twitter.com/hfKKSqlVfe
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 24, 2020
The Mainstream Media Reacts
The public support for Trump was too overwhelming for even the critical media outlets to ignore. “India Greets U.S. Leader With Epic Party,” NPR reported. Even CNN begrudgingly admitted: “the crowd was massive.”
“Across the stands of the world’s biggest cricket stadium, a sea made up of the faces of Donald Trump and Narendra Modi stared out,” UK’s left-wing newspaper The Guardian noted. “The 125,000-strong crowd who had gathered to welcome to US president on his first visit to India alongside the Indian prime minister.”
The German state television ARD disparagingly described the visit as the “meeting of two showmen.” It’s all about “superlative, megalomania and far-right; that’s what unites these two statesmen,” the state-run news outlet remarked.
The New York Times bashed the President for “[m]aking no mention of a growing backlash against what critics call Mr. Modi’s anti-Muslim Hindu nationalism.”
UK daily Independent also echoed the NYT, complaining: “Trump fails to condemn Modi’s ‘anti-Muslim’ citizenship law.”
In December, the Indian parliament passed a law easing citizenship rights for refugees fleeing Islamist persecution in the neighboring Muslim-majority countries. The law opens the path to naturalization for the followers of six faiths, including Hindus, Sikhs, and Christians, but excludes Muslims. The move angered many Indian Muslims, who took to the streets across the country, setting fire to vehicles, throwing stones, and hurling home-made bombs at security forces called in to restore order. NYT, BBC, and other mainstream media outlets showed great empathy towards these enraged Muslims men.
Regardless of what the mainstream media outlets may say, the U.S.-India ties are rooted in the firm bedrock of realism. Both countries are aware of the threat of growing Islamism in the Muslim world and China’s military expansionism. Unlike his Democrat predecessor, President Trump has little qualms about naming these two threats, and above all, taking firm and decisive action to stem them. The destruction of the ISIS caliphate in the Middle East and recent decapitation of Iran’s regional terror network will not be lost on Indian leadership.
[Cover image via YouTube]
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Comments
This article was a great summary Mr.Uniya..I know that many of the people here are grateful for they way that India has welcomed our President and our First Lady.
A welcome befitting a great friend and an ally, I must add.
Thank you for the kind words.
Hope, versus fascism.
I’ve traveled throughout India and I can say unequivocally her people are among the most gracious and beautiful I’ve ever met. The food is incredibly delicious too. Their culture is rich and deep and I fell in love with every aspect of it. Note, it IS hard to get past the poverty and the congestion in the streets but otherwise, a remarkable nation.
i went to the credit union right after 9-11. There was an East Indian female teller. When I mentioned the attack she became quite nervous, and I asked her what was wrong. It turned out she had two different people who were nasty to her, they thought she was middle eastern.
I told her that I did recognise that she was Indian, and pointed out to her that there were going to be far fewer Arabs allowed into America and that meant more opportunities for her people.
That cheered her up.
“Trump fails to condemn Modi’s ‘anti-Muslim’ citizenship law.”
Only fools embrace Muslims, Islam was created as a cult to cement Muhammad’s power. It is innately uncivilized, brutal and subversive. Islam should be treated accordingly.
The West, especially American should classify it as a racist cult, and remove all tax benefits.
JusticeDelivered,
Can you elaborate on your contention that Islam is racist? Antisemitic absolutely true, racist doesn’t really fit as there are now and have been throughout history Islamic adherents of every skin tone.
I think it’s less about race or anti-semetism and more about who’s Muslim and who isn’t.
Islam did something interesting to control it’s members. Those in the Ummah are People, subject to stringent protections. And adult males are subject to significant restrictions wrt those in the Ummah. Those outside are fair game for pretty much anything – upon whom all the created frustrations of the adult males are taken.
Create pent up frustration, and identify your enemy as a lawful vent for it.
Those who are not muslim, are effectively unpersons subject to murder/rape/pillage at will, with the blessings of Allah.
Have we seen any other group codifying lying, cheating, stealing, raping women and children, murdering and a host of other degenerate things?
Considering Islam’s origin, and its teachings, it and the people who practice it, deserve nothing except contempt.
One example of a group who systematically ‘lied, murder, raped etc’ would be the Japanese throughout Asia from initial occupation of China until the end of WW2.
Agree completely.
Several times history has gone the right way for the most part.
For example, all of the world wars, while brutal, seem to have ended in the best way for world progress and freedom. Another example is the fight for Eurasian civilization between Christians and Muslims. Had that fight gone the other way, the Islamic state would have been far more oppressive and violent than the Church of England. Neither were good institutions, but there were definitely shades of evil. Luckily, Islamic reach and the potential for worldwide violence has been limited by their own internal violence and penchant for self-destruction.
I agree about the two religions, but a big difference is that christian religions evolved, Islam did not.
Islam prevents evolution of the religious component by murdering those who would drive change. As things stand now, Islam will never be able shorten the 1400 year difference between it and more civilised people.
Man, even wikipedia gets it:
Racism in the Arab world:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racism_in_the_Arab_world
Remember, half-black man obama bowed to the Saudi king. The old fascist didn’t return the gesture to barry:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/barackobama/5128171/Barack-Obama-criticised-for-bowing-to-King-Abdullah-of-Saudi-Arabia.html
The media talks about being anti-Muslim as if it’s a bad thing. In its 1,400 history, who has Islam peacefully coexisted with?
Truth be told I was expecting gloriously jeweled elephants to greet the President’s plane with Modi riding the largest in front . How wonderous that would have been.
He’d be riding michelle obama?
No matter what Michelle Obama does to try and cover up her appearance, well, I will not insult pigs or elephants, because they are probably smarter than her, and most certainly more attractive than her. I would never be interested in riding her.
PDJT continues to demonstrate his political acumen. He got the legacy media forced into reporting on the welcome he received and is shoring up the relationship with, IMO, a natural strategic ally and an important trading partner.
The media needs to get a wiggle on as they only have one more day to create an incident to blame on Trump.
Somebody who gets all wee wee’d up about an Indian “anti Muslim law” fails to understand modern India’s history. The partition of India and Pakistan in 1947 had atrocities on both sides-the Hindus got India and shoved all the Muslims into Pakistan—and the Muslims gave as good as they got. Any Hindus in what became Pakistan and ultimately Bangladesh got shoved back to India (or into a grave).
It was equal opportunity slaughter–on both sides.
“Equal opportunity slaughter–on both sides.” Not so.
From my December 18 post:
“Pakistan’s non-Muslim population has declined from 23 percent in 1947 to merely 3 percent today, a 2013 report published by the Hudson Institute showed. Meanwhile, India’s Muslim population grew from 35 million to 200 million in the same period.”
(For reference to the figures, see here: https://legalinsurrection.com/2019/12/indian-muslims-outraged-over-law-granting-citizenship-to-refugees-fleeing-islamist-persecution/)
This is all well and good, but insofar as any discussion between the two countries makes it any easier for Asian Indians to come to America on any worker visa, or to immigrate to the United States, I oppose it.
I’ve read too many tech workers’ accounts of how they had to train their Indian replacements.
I also read an account by an American, that when his tech office was filled with Indians, and he a white American, they acted in accord with the caste system from which they came, and as an American without a caste, was treated as a nonentity.
As far as muslims, I admire and hope for more, of anything that is being done, to diminish them and restrict them from free movement, to strip their citizenship and deport them, and to confine them to the middle east only. A constitutional amendment to ban the koran in America would be a superb step.
Having them in civilized parts of the world leads unalterably to the destruction said civilized parts.
Better ties with India is not an argument for free immigration. As Trump said today: “Every nation has the right to secure and controlled borders.’ Same goes for immigration.
I wasn’t referring to “free immigration;” I referred to legal immigration. We have too many Americans sidelined by foreigners by American companies that want to pay lower salaries, pay fewer taxes, have fewer headaches. I have great sympathy for employers bogged in red tape but Asian Indians aren’t the way to go.
See:
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/02/21/business-import-h-1b-grads-exports-india/
https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2019/10/24/corporate-ceos-to-indian-govt-send-us-millions-of-indian-college-graduates/
https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2019/11/04/watch-sen-dick-durbin-to-indias-visa-workers-it-is-good-that-you-come-to-america/
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/09/18/white-house-extends-100000-work-permits-h-1b-wives-india/
If it was sanders, they’d be throwing feces at him.
If it was bloomberg, the crowds would be paid, and obviously less enthusiastic.
If it was obama, no one in India would notice he arrived.
If it was Butthead, they’d all be wearing surgical masks and rubber gloves before they greet him.
And how many more programmers will be put out of jobs by all this love?
I think it’s unwise for Trump to be traveling to Asia with Coronavirus on the loose.
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. – Jeremiah 29:11-13 NIV
LOL at them playing Macho Man at the stadium.
Our shooting club elected an Indian to be our president twice (two year terms). Really great guy.
Unfortunately for us he’s not only term limited, his brother in law just offered him a really sweet gig that should make him some really solid money. Out of state.
He’s really one of the better folks you’d ever want to meet. Loves his guns, loves going to shooting matches. We’re going to miss him.