New York: Members of the Indian-American community welcomed Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election, saying the country needs a “strong leader” like him who will deliver on his promises to tame inflation and curtail illegal immigration. In a historic election, Trump defeated his Democratic rival Vice President Kamala Harris and was elected the 47th President of the United States, becoming only the second commander-in-chief in over a century to win two nonconsecutive presidential terms. Before Trump, it was Grover Cleveland who had served two nonconsecutive terms as President from 1885-1889 and 1893-1897. With his electoral victory, Trump also became the first convicted felon and twice-impeached to be elected President. However, Trump’s criminal cases, his rhetoric or baggage from his previous tenure as President, including the January 6, 2021 riots at the US Capitol, had little impact on voters’ decision to rally behind him and give him a second stint in the White House. The support for Trump was evident among members of the Indian-American community. “Trump is a strong leader. The country needs strong leadership,” prominent Indian-American cardiologist and community leader Dr Avinash Gupta told PTI.
“We have seen what Trump did for four years, and then we saw the Biden-Harris administration for four years. The difference was very clear,” Gupta said. Gupta highlighted that during Trump’s first presidency, the economy was in good shape, there were no new wars, he was good for India-US friendship and the borders were secure. Gupta added that because of the wars going on in Ukraine and in the Middle East, “we need a strong leader who can put an end to all these wars and achieve global peace. We know that Trump is not a typical politician, so only he will be able to achieve this.” Earlier this year, Trump had pledged to end Ukraine’s war with Russia after its President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reached out to the former US president to congratulate him on his Republican presidential nomination. “… I, as your next President of the United States, will bring peace to the world and end the war that has cost so many lives and devastated countless innocent families. Both sides will be able to come together and negotiate a deal that ends the violence and paves a path forward to prosperity,” Trump had said.
“Definitely, I think if somebody can stop the war, Trump can stop the war,” Gupta said. Trump had also vowed that if he returns to the White House, “inflation will vanish completely”. Deepa, an Indian-American small business owner in the White Plains area of New York, said she voted for Trump in the election. Outlining her reasoning behind her support for Trump, Deepa, who requested that only her first name be used, said that Trump has served as President before and “knows what should be done for the country. He is the right person.” “Everyone has their personal choice. I think Trump is better,” she said. When asked about Harris, who could have been the first woman President of the country, Deepa said: “Her being a woman does not matter. (The Democrats) never deliver on their promises. They say they will do something but they don’t. Trump is not like that. He does what he says,” Deepa, who lives with her young family in the Long Island area, said. A New Jersey-based businessman, who did not wish to be identified, said that business owners are facing extremely difficult times due to high prices and the current state of the economy. “Businesses are hurting. It is becoming unsustainable,” he said. With pressing domestic issues like inflation and illegal immigration hurting the country as well as impacts of global conflicts such as the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, what the US needs is a leader like Trump to tackle these challenges, he added. There was also unanimity among members of the Indian-American community about who would be a better leader in the White House for further strengthening India-US relations. “Trump, of course,” they say when asked who between Harris and Trump would be a better leader for bilateral ties between Washington and Delhi.
“Especially when Trump tweeted on Diwali about Bangladeshi Hindus, that sent a very clear message that he is for Hindus all over the world,” Gupta said. In a message on Diwali, Trump posted on X that he “strongly” condemns the “barbaric violence against Hindus, Christians, and other minorities who are getting attacked and looted by mobs in Bangladesh, which remains in a total state of chaos. “It would have never happened on my watch. Kamala and Joe have ignored Hindus across the world and in America. They have been a disaster from Israel to Ukraine to our own Southern Border, but we will Make America Strong Again and bring back Peace through Strength!” “We will also protect Hindu Americans against the anti-religion agenda of the radical left. We will fight for your freedom. Under my administration, we will also strengthen our great partnership with India and my good friend, Prime Minister Modi” Trump had said. Gupta further said that his patients complain about drug prices, and high inflation and worry that they cannot afford life-saving medication. “Some of them have just stopped (buying medicines) because they say we have to buy groceries and feed our families.”
Massachusetts-based entrepreneur Mohan Nannapaneni said that as a small business owner, he likes Trump’s policies “because his policies are very clear and are definitely helpful for small businesses.” On the current state of the economy, he said that “everybody is feeling the pain” and Trump’s promises will definitely help improve the economy and the job market. Nannapaneni, who is also the founder of the volunteer-based nonprofit organisation TEAM Aid, added that the issue of illegal immigrants was of significant concern to voters in the election. “The issue of illegal immigrants, open borders, letting people in without any screening is creating a lot of insecurity in people’s minds.”
Nannapaneni added that Harris’s policies on these issues were not clear. “Bring back America is a great slogan. Everybody wants to see how America was in the past. Trump has said he is going to stop the wars. He is focused on the main issues that are affecting every American.”