Donald Trump is the name which is currently roaming around the Internet as he becomes the 45th US President. Republican Candidate Donald Trump has taken an unassailable lead against Democratic Candidate Hillary Clinton to become the US President. Let us congratulate him for becoming the new US President.
But the question is ‘What he has to offer to India?’
Rhetorically, he has been supportive of India and ‘Hindus’, but a deeper look into his style of working tells a different story altogether.
This campaign has been marked by scandals that just won’t go away such as Trump’s refusal to recognize the outcome of the election alleging election fraud; Trump’s threat to put Clinton in jail and inviting Russia to interfere in the election; and even acts of violence, such as an African-American church in Mississippi being burned and spray painted with the phrase “Vote Trump”, a Republican office in North Carolina firebombed, or physical attacks on Trump protestors at his political rallies.
The results of this election will surely shape the future political climate of the United States and will impact the relationship between the United States and India.
Let us now discuss, about “Whose Presidency be Better for India, whether Hillary’s or Trump’s?”
If there is one word that can best describe Hillary Clinton, it is steady. Her performances in the presidential debates, her speeches, and rhetoric, and her detailed policy positions are all evidence of a seasoned politician and stateswoman accustomed to and understanding of the demands of Executive Office. This steadiness extends to her positions on India.
Hillary Clinton’s relationship with India started back with a 12-day trip in 1995 as First Lady that laid the foundation for persuading President Bill Clinton to revive the US-India relationship following its 1998 nuclear tests. Hillary Clinton served as the co-founder and co-chair of the Senate India Caucus and supported the US-India Civil Nuclear Agreement.
She later made multiple visits to India and stressed that India should “not just look east, but engage east and act east.” Her popularity among Indian-Americans is evident in an October 2016 survey that shows she has 67% support from Indian-American voters while Donald Trump only garnered 7%.
If there is one word to best describe Donald Trump, it would be erratic. Except the Trump Towers in Mumbai, Trump has had very little dealings with India and there are no meetings with the public to draw upon to predict what his positions on India would be as president. He has, instead, made a series of ambiguous and opposing statements against India and Indian people over the past decade.
He intended to bring back jobs to the US from India as Indian economy is doing well. He named India in the category as China, an economic competitor and a threat to the US and their economy. He wants to put into place immigration controls that would make it far difficult for Indians to come to the US. Later he said that he wants to attract Indian entrepreneurs and students to come to the US.
He has praised the strong leadership styles of no less than Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un, Bashar al-Assad, Muammar Gaddafi, and Saddam Hussein for their support. So we have to wait and see how would Trump maintain his and the US’s relationship with India in the future.
However, Trump’s dream has come true and he became the 45th President of the USA.