NEW DELHI (Diya TV) — Marco Rubio on Monday pushed back against claims of rising anti-India sentiment in the United States. He said racist remarks targeting Indians and Indian Americans came from “stupid people” and do not reflect the broader views of Americans or the U.S. government.

Rubio also stressed that Donald Trump remains a strong supporter of India and shares a close relationship with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The controversy began after Rubio answered a question from an Indian journalist during a joint press conference in New Delhi with Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on May 24. The reporter asked Rubio about racist comments against Indians and Indian-Americans in the United States.

Rubio replied that every country has “stupid people” who make offensive remarks online. He added that such comments do not represent American society as a whole. Speaking again on Monday while traveling to Agra, Rubio said he did not fully understand whom the reporter referred to during the original question. He explained that he asked for clarification, but the reporter did not specify any individual or statement.

“The bottom line is that in the modern era, you go online, and people are saying all kinds of crazy stuff,” Rubio said. “I don’t even know if they’re real people or who they are.”

Rubio then praised U.S.-India ties and highlighted Trump’s support for India.

“The president is a big fan of India, a big fan of Prime Minister Modi,” Rubio said. “I wouldn’t be here if the president didn’t want me to be here.”

He also mentioned Sergio Gor, Trump’s nominee for U.S. ambassador to India, as someone close to the president and supportive of stronger relations with New Delhi.

The issue gained attention after many people linked the reporter’s question to comments Trump shared earlier this year about birthright citizenship. In April 2026, Trump reposted a transcript on Truth Social from conservative podcaster Michael Savage. In the transcript, Savage referred to immigrants from India and China while criticizing birthright citizenship policies. The comments included a reference to people coming from “some other hellhole on the planet,” which critics viewed as offensive and racist.

The remarks triggered criticism on social media and raised concerns among some Indian Americans and political observers about anti-India rhetoric in U.S. politics. Rubio’s latest comments appeared aimed at reducing tensions and reassuring Indian audiences about the strength of the bilateral relationship.

The controversy grew further after the U.S. State Department posted Rubio’s original response to the racism question on social media. The department later deleted the post without explanation. Before the deletion, the post quoted Rubio saying that “every country has stupid people” and described the United States as a welcoming country enriched by immigrants. The removal of the post fueled more online debate and speculation about Washington’s handling of the issue.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs also addressed the matter. Foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal criticized the controversial remarks linked to Trump’s reposted transcript.

“The remarks are obviously uninformed, inappropriate, and in poor taste,” Jaiswal said in a statement. “They certainly do not reflect the reality of the India-U.S. relationship, which has long been based on mutual respect and shared interests.”

The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi later issued a clarification saying Trump considers India a “great country” led by a “very good friend.”