Trump Jr faces backlash after saying he likes India’s ‘smiling’ poor people
President’s eldest son criticised for ‘tone-deaf’ remark on Indian TV

Donald Trump Jr is being criticised for his “tone-deaf remark” about India’s poorest residents during a visit there this week to promote Trump-branded luxury apartments.
The US president’s eldest son told India’s CNBC affiliate that “the spirit of the Indian people” was unique to “other parts of the emerging world”, because “you can see the poorest of the poor and there is still a smile on a face”.
“I know some of the most successful businessmen in the world, and some of them are the most miserable people in the world,” Trump Jr added.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Although the businessman may have thought he was paying a compliment, some found the comments jarring, the National Public Radio (NPR) website reports.
Luis Dias, a pediatrician and founder of children’s charity Child’s Play India, told NPR that Trump Jr’s remarks were “condescending” and “a sweeping statement about a demographic he has never really seen or spent time with, either in India or the rest of the world”.
Trump Jr has also been accused of cashing in on the presidency by offering the opportunity to have dinner with him as a reward to buyers of the luxury apartments, being developed in four cities across the country.
His comments about India’s smiling poor also caught the attention of some on social media.
According to a 2016 World Bank report, India has the highest number of people living in poverty in the world, with one in three existing below the $1.90-a-day (£1.36) poverty line, based on data from 2013.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Laura Lippman's 6 favorite books for those who crave a high-stakes adventure
Feature The Grand Master recommends works by E.L. Konigsburg, Charles Portis, and more
-
Book reviews: 'Bad Company: Private Equity and the Death of the American Dream' and 'Desi Arnaz: The Man Who Invented Television'
Feature Private equity and the man who created 'I Love Lucy' get their close-ups
-
Can Texas redistricting save the US House for the GOP?
Today's Big Question Trump pushes a 'ruthless' new plan, but it could backfire
-
'No one should be surprised by this cynical strategy'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Big, beautiful bill: Supercharging ICE
Feature With billions in new funding, ICE is set to expand its force of agents and build detention camps capable of holding more than 100,000 people
-
Deportations: Citizens could be next
Feature the Trump is expanding denaturalization efforts, targeting naturalized citizens and birthright citizenship
-
Ukraine: Trump's mixed messages
Feature Trump reverses a Pentagon freeze on Patriot missiles to Ukraine as Russia ramps up air attacks
-
Supreme Court: Ceding more power to Trump?
Feature SCOTUS has given Trump a victory by ending nationwide injunctions, limiting judges' power to block presidential orders
-
The Pam Bondi and Dan Bongino schism threatens Trump's DOJ
In the Spotlight Two MAGA partisans find themselves on either end of a growing scandal over Jeffrey Epstein and his ties to White House officials
-
Secret Service 'failures' on Trump shooting
Speed Read Two new reports detail security breakdowns that led to attempts on the president's life
-
Trump uses tariffs to upend Brazil's domestic politics
IN THE SPOTLIGHT By slapping a 50% tariff on Brazil for its criminal investigation into Bolsonaro, the Trump administration is brazenly putting its fingers on the scales of a key foreign election