New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi showered praises on US President Donald Trump’s resilience and drew parallels between ‘India First’ and ‘America First’ spirit.
In a conversation with Lex Fridman, a research scientist, on his podcast, ‘Lex Fridman Podcast,’ Modi admired Trump for being ‘decisive’ and ‘bold’ and said both of them put their country first.
“When he was shot during the recent campaign, I saw the same resilient and determined President Trump, the one who walked hand-in-hand with me in that stadium. Even after being shot, he remained unwaveringly dedicated to America. His life was for his nation. His reflection showed his America First spirit, just as I believe in nation first. I stand for India first and that’s why we connect so well,” Modi said, to a query about what he liked about Trump as a friend and as a leader.
Last year in July, Trump survived an assassination attempt in which he was left with a wounded upper right ear during his election rally in Pennsylvania.
“These are the things that truly resonate. And I believe that across the world politicians are covered so much by the media that people mostly perceive each other through its lens. People rarely get the chance to truly meet or personally know one another and perhaps third-party intervention is the real cause of tensions,” the PM added.
Modi also recounted the Howdy Modi event that took place at Houston in September 2019. “We had an event in Houston, Howdy Modi. Both President Trump and I were there and the entire stadium was completely packed. A massive crowd at an event in the US is a huge moment. While packed stadiums are common in sports, this was extraordinary for a political rally,” the prime minister said.
“The Indian diaspora had gathered in large numbers. Both of us delivered speeches and he sat down below listening to me speak. Now, that’s his humility. The President of the United States sitting in the audience while I spoke from the stage, that was a remarkable gesture on his part.”
Trump, he said, even agreed to take a lap around the stadium with him though “security in the US is extremely strict and thorough”.
“In American life, it’s almost impossible for the President to walk into a crowd of thousands, but without even a moment’s hesitation, he agreed and started walking with me. His entire security detail was thrown off guard, but for me that moment was truly touching. It showed me that this man had courage. He makes his own decisions, but also he trusted me and my lead in that moment enough to have walked with me into the crowd. It was that sense of mutual trust, a strong bond between us that I truly witnessed on that day,” he added.
Modi said when he visited Trump in the White House for the first time, “there was already a lot written about President Trump in the media”.
“At that time, he was still new to office and the world had a rather different perception of him. Even I had been briefed in many different ways before meeting him, but to my surprise, the very moment I stepped into the White House, he broke all formal protocols right away. And then, he personally took me on a tour of the White House.”
Trump’s gesture, Modi said, showed how he honored the Presidency and how respectful and deeply connected he was to America’s history.
Fridman also asked about Trump’s statement on Modi being a tough negotiator. “Now, that’s not something I can comment on. Since it’s his graciousness and humility, it is very kind of him that he openly appreciates me on various occasions and in different contexts. But about negotiation, I always put my country’s interests first. That’s why in every forum, I speak up for India’s interest, not to harm anyone but in a positive manner and because of that, no one takes offense,” he said.
Modi said having observed Trump during his first and now the second term, “this time, he seems far more prepared than before”.
“He has a clear roadmap in his mind with well-defined steps, each one designed to lead him toward his goals. I also had the chance to meet members of his team, and I truly believe he has put together a strong, capable group and with such a strong team, I feel they are fully capable of implementing President Trump’s vision based on my interactions with them.”
Modi also shared about his interactions with Tulsi Gabbard, Vivek Ramaswamy, Elon Musk, and others.
“As for Elon Musk, I have known him since my time as chief minister. He was there with his family and children, so naturally the atmosphere felt warm and friendly. Of course, we had discussions and we talked about many different topics. Now, with his DOGE mission, he is incredibly excited about how it’s progressing,” the prime minister said.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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