Donald Trump calls PM Modi a 'great leader', says he is doing very good job

US President Donald Trump has once again expressed his fondness for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He called PM Modi a friend of his and that PM Modi is doing a great job. 

"Prime Minister Modi is a friend of mine and he is doing a very good job. It's thing easy but he is doing a very good job. You have got a great leader and you have got a great person," he said while addressing media.

Speaking of his two-day visit to India for Namaste Trump event with First Lady Melania Trump in February this year, he said, "I also, as you kw, went to India just prior to pandemic setting in because India has been hit very hard, left really about a week before that, and we had an incredible time. What we saw people are so incredible it's really an incredible place, an incredible country and it's definitely big," he said.

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Recalling PM Modi's visit to Houston, Texas to attend Howdy Modi event, he said, "He (PM Modi) couldn't have been more generous." He also highlighted support he receives from Indians living in US and asserted that Indians would be voting for him in upcoming US Presidential election on vember 3.

"We had an event in Houston, as you kw. And it was a fantastic event. I was invited by Prime Minister Modi and this was a massive event. It was incredible. And prime minister could t have been more generous. We have great support from India. We have great support from Prime Minister Modi. I think Indian people (Indian Americans) would be voting for Trump," he said.

Trump's praise for PM Modi came in response to a question posed by media on campaign video titled "Four more years" released by Trump Campaign during Republican National Convention last month. Tweeted by Kimberly Guilfoyle, national chair of Trump Victory Finance Committee and retweeted by his son Donald Trump Jr, video conceptualised by Al Mason, co-chair of Trump Victory Indian American Finance Committee, has short clips from Modi-Trump joint address in Houston last year and Ahmedabad in February this year.

Media asked him wher Donald Trump Jr and Ivanka Trump will be campaigning for president as y are revered by Indians.

"Would Kimberly, Don Jr, and Ivanka Trump, who are very popular among Indian Americans, would be campaigning on your behalf among Indian Americans with your views on India-US relationship?" he was asked.

Battle for Indian votes

Indians living in America are in significant numbers, hence, Republicans and Democrats have intensified ir outreach to Indian American community. Recently Democrat vice presidential minee Kamala Harris was vocal about her Indian roots in order to gain support of Indian diaspora. Indian community revere PM Modi hence Trump may enjoy a benefit of friendship he shares with PM Modi.

As reported by PTI, a recent study by Mason in  battleground states showed that Indian Americans who traditionally vote for Democrats are switching over to Republican party in significant numbers because friendship that Trump has with PM Modi and latter's high popularity among a large section of community. However, Mason survey was conducted before Democratic minee Joe Biden anunced Kamala Harris as his running mate, hence re may be a slightly different picture after Harris entering election battle.

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