- Donald Trump amplified a conservative commentator's remarks on social media, describing India and China as "hellholes" in a discussion about ending birthright citizenship in the US.
- The amplified comments included claims that English is no longer widely spoken in the US and that hiring in California's tech sector favors people from India and China over white Americans.
- India's foreign ministry condemned the comments as "uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste," while US lawmakers and advocacy groups also criticized the remarks as offensive and racist.
- The White House defended Trump's post, stating he was "calling out the scam of unfettered birthright citizenship," a right Trump has repeatedly sought to end or narrow.
- The controversy comes ahead of a planned visit to India by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, aiming to ease recent strains in relations between the two countries.
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