US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed on Sunday that idiots exist in every country. He was defending the United States because of his racist comments against Indians. In his joint press conference with Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in New Delhi, Rubio was asked about “racist statements by the United States against Indians.”
When Rubio pointedly asked him: “Who made those comments?”, a TV reporter did not mention his name, but noted that such a post was “approved” and “we have all seen it.” US President Donald Trump recently retweeted a social media post that called India “hell”, but later sought to clarify by praising India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
When told that the “endorsement” of the racist post was known, Rubio said Sunday: “I don’t know how to handle that, but I would take that seriously.”
“I’m sure there are people who wrote comments online and elsewhere, because every country in the world has stupid people. I’m sure of that.” [there are] People are stupid here. “There are stupid people in the United States who make stupid comments all the time.”
“A very welcoming country”
Highlighting the contributions made by immigrants, including the Indian diaspora, to American society and economy, he also said, according to news agency ANI: “I don’t know what to tell you, other than the United States is a very welcoming country.”
Then he said, “Our nation has been enriched by the people who come to our country. They come from our country, from all over the world, and they become Americans, and they integrate into our way of life, and they contribute.”
Acknowledging the economic role played by the Indian community in the US, Rubio said: “I accept what you just said about the contribution that Indians have made to the American economy, more than US$20 billion…and we want that number to continue to increase.”
On H-1B and immigration
Rubio also noted that Washington is reviewing its immigration system. Responding to questions about recent changes affecting J1, F1 and H-1B visas, which are typically a major US pathway for highly qualified Indian technicians, Rubio said the sweeping overhaul of the US immigration system was a global exercise and not specifically targeting India.
“The changes that are happening now, or the modernization of our immigration system to the US, are not specific to India. They are global, and are being applied all over the world,” he said.
He said the United States has faced an “immigration crisis” in recent years, with more than 20 million people entering the country illegally. “Everything you do as a country should be in your national interest, and that includes your immigration policy,” Rubio said.
“It is not a system that targets India,” Rubio said. “We believe our ultimate destination will be a better system.”
Meanwhile, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gore reiterated Washington’s commitment to strengthening ties with New Delhi in a post on X. “Secretary Rubio’s message is clear. Our relationship with India is important. Our strategic partnership with India is real. We have amazing potential for the future,” he said.
Earlier, Jaishankar held delegation-level talks with Rubio at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, marking a key engagement in the high-level diplomatic dialogue between the US and India. The meeting was attended by senior officials from both sides. He met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday.
