US President Donald Trump made a surprise live phone call to US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor during the United States’ 250th Independence Day reception in New Delhi on May 24, 2026, using the moment to offer warm public praise for India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Speaking on the call, Trump said, “I love India,” called Mr. Modi “a close friend” and asked that the ambassador pass along his regards.
Trump also told those gathered that “India can count on me 100%,” adding: “If they ever need help, they know where to call. They call right here.” He framed the remarks in upbeat economic terms, saying the US was “setting records” with a “record economy” and “record stock market,” and professed admiration for both Modi and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, calling Rubio “the greatest” and suggesting he would go down as the greatest US secretary of state.
Ambassador Gor, recounting the call, said the president’s message stressed a deepening strategic alignment between Washington and New Delhi and credited the “personal bond” between Trump and Modi for expanding bilateral cooperation. “Every time the President and I speak, one of the first questions he asks is, ‘How is my friend the Prime Minister doing?’” Gor said, adding that the relationship between the two leaders stretches back nearly a decade and has “redefined what is possible.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who attended the embassy reception, echoed the importance of the partnership, calling India a “valuable strategic partner” central to the United States’ Indo-Pacific strategy and hinting at major bilateral announcements in coming months. Rubio also made a light-hearted aside about contractual obligations that prevented him from “performing” at the event.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, present at the reception, highlighted the role of the Indian diaspora in strengthening ties and stressed the importance of sustained counterterrorism cooperation between New Delhi and Washington amid growing global security challenges.
Original Source: https://www.firstpost.com/world/i-love-pm-modi-trump-dials-us-envoy-sergio-gor-during-americas-250th-independence-day-event-in-delhi-14014667.html
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Publish Date: 2026-05-24 23:42:00
