United States (US) President Donald Trump called Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi a “killer” and an “angel” at the G7 summit in Evian, France, referring to his negotiating style and the internet did not let it slide.
When asked whether the two countries had struck a trade deal, Trump said: “He’s a very tough negotiator. One of the toughest, actually. So you look at this man. I’ll give you a lesson. He’s the most beautiful-looking man. He looks so nice. He’s like an angel. But actually, he’s as tough as, he’s a killer. I don’t want to, he’s a killer. He’s as tough as they come”.
The remarks set off a wave of reactions online, with many pointing to Modi’s past. Several users brought up the 2002 Gujarat riots, referring to him as the “Butcher of Gujarat” and noting that he was denied a US visa and barred from entering the country for 13 years over his alleged role in the violence against Muslims in the state.
“He is responsible for the deaths of thousands of Muslims, including pregnant women and children,” one user wrote.
Journalist Mehdi Hasan wrote that Modi had no choice but to smile as Trump “accurately” described him as a killer, while also “weirdly” calling him a “beautiful looking man”.
Another user echoed the sentiment, writing that “hundreds of millions of dollars of public money” could help make a “beautiful looking man,” cover up what they called “ghastly crimes”.
One user noted that the contradiction in Modi’s image, writing that he was “Pro US, Pro Israel, Pro Foreign trips” but presented himself as a tough defender of India and Hindus, while his policies had harmed ordinary Indians.
Another called him “the angel of death,” sarcastically adding: “Just ask Indian minorities”.
Some questioned the dynamic between the two leaders altogether. One user wrote there was “no respect, no trust, no diplomacy” between them, and that Trump had “lost all credibility” with most Indians, adding that no country was taking him seriously anymore.
Others saw Trump’s praise as a distraction tactic. One user wrote that by praising Modi, Trump was diverting attention from “his plans on how he will be belittling India next time”.
The sharpest reaction came over India’s silence on the world stage. One user wrote that India had become a “global laughingstock,” pointing to how Trump had casually dismissed the deaths of Indian sailors while the Modi administration stayed quiet. “The self-proclaimed Vishwaguru completely lacks the courage to speak up or demand respect from Washington,” they wrote.
One user kept it short: “He is trolling Modi”.
