Trump's Rougher Edge Complicates Trip by Pompeo and Mattis to India
WASHINGTON — There have always been irritants in relations between India and the United States. But few have been as perplexing to New Delhi, or left as bitter a taste, as President Trump’s tendency to mock Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s accent in English.
A video of Mr. Trump imitating Mr. Modihas gone viral in New Delhi. So have reports that Mr. Trump often mimics his Indian counterpart in internal discussions.
“There’s a general understanding here that Modi is not sure he can do business with Trump,” said Suhasini Haidar, foreign affairs editor of The Hindu. “India is just now coming to terms with the idea that Trump will not treat India with the same kind of benevolence that previous presidents have.”
This is the diplomatic headache that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will confront when he arrives in the Indian capital on Wednesday with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. Tiptoeing around the president’s indiscretions is one in a suddenly long list of challenges to a relationship that, according to senior State Department officials, Mr. Pompeo would very much like to preserve — and even improve.
Among the other challenges are growing trade tensions, American insistence that India suddenly end its huge purchases of Iranian oil, and Washington’s threats to impose sanctions should India continue to purchase Russian military equipment, as India has done for most of its history.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/trumps-rougher-edge-complicates-trip-by-pompeo-and-mattis-to-india/ar-BBMLNj9?li=BBnbcA1
Mr. Art of the Deal
= new reply since forum marked as read
my gawd!!!
How insulting can he have to be
