US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday found himself in an awkward situation when he was asked about racist remarks against Indians in the US during a joint press conference in New Delhi alongside External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
Initially taken aback by the question, an indirect reference to US President Donald Trump’s controversial comments on Indians, Rubio said, “Every country in the world has stupid people,” adding that such remarks do not reflect America’s broader character as an immigrant-friendly nation.
“I’m sure that there are people who have made comments online and in other places, because every country in the world has stupid people,” the US Secretary of State said.
“I’m sure there are stupid people here. There are stupid people in the United States who make dumb comments all the time,” he added.
Rubio said the United States remained a welcoming country whose growth and success had been strengthened by immigrants from across the world.
“The United States is a very welcoming country. Our nation has been enriched by people who come to our country from all over the world, become Americans, assimilate into our way of life, and contribute greatly,” he said.
Notably, in April this year, Trump shared excerpts from The Savage Nation talk radio show, in which conservative commentator Michael Savage said: “A baby here becomes an instant citizen, and then they bring the entire family in from China or India or some other hellhole on the planet.”
India strongly reacted to the remarks, describing them as “uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste.”
The comments were made during Rubio’s India visit for bilateral talks focused on strengthening strategic relations, trade, and technology cooperation between the two nations.
