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.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
'Making a police state out of the liberal university'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
8 looming climate tipping points that imperil our planet
The Explainer New reports detail the thresholds we may be close to crossing
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Try 6 free issues of The Week Junior
Spark your child's curiosity with The Week Junior - the award-winning current affairs magazine for 8-14s.
By The Week Published
-
'Can we — the people who have bought so much already — really keep buying more?'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
'Presidential debates are more performance art than actual ways to inform'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Trump, DeSantis meet for first time since primary
Speed Read The former president and the Florida governor have seemingly mended their rivalry
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Justices set to punt on Trump immunity case
Speed Read Conservative justices signaled support for Trump's protection from criminal charges
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
India elections start amid violence, hate speech accusations
Talking Points Narendra Modi seeks a third term while critics worry about the future of the country's democracy
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
'Biden is smart to keep the border-security pressure on'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Arizona grand jury indicts 18 in Trump fake elector plot
Speed Read The state charged Mark Meadows, Rudy Giuliani and other Trump allies in 2020 election interference case
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Voters know Biden and Trump all too well'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published