Factors driving Indian Americans towards Trump
INDIAN Americans, particularly in the battleground states, are coming out in support of President Donald Trump in large numbers due to a combination of 12 factors, prominent among which is his friendship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to an internal research survey.
Trump showing respect to Indian Americans, treating India and Modi on an equal footing have made him popular, says the survey, which is now shaping the campaign’s outreach towards the community in the last 40 days.
According to the survey carried out by Al Mason, co-chair of the Trump Victory Indian American Finance Committee, and his team, the Trump administration, unlike the president’s predecessors and the current challenger, staying away from the internal affairs of India, in particular on issues like Kashmir and the president’s visible role in elevating India’s stature on the world stage are some of the other key factors.
‘It is mostly about the Trump-Modi factor,’ the survey said, adding that Indian Americans increasingly believe that the teamwork of Trump and Modi over the next four years will successfully checkmate China at the world stage.
Other factors such as Trump’s strong stand against China, him being a man of peace rather than throwing the country into war, America’s economic revival to the pre-Covid-19 era and his competent handling of the pandemic are driving Indian Americans towards Trump, the survey said.
‘Trump has elevated India’s stature on the world stage. Of course, due credit also goes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his skilled policy towards the US. The India-US relationship has been rock solid. Kudos to the brilliance of both Trump and Modi for cementing the bond between India and US,’ says the survey. ‘His family echoes the same sentiments,’ it said.
‘Every Indian American in the US has a family member back home like old parents, brother, sister, friend, business. They want India to be respected and protected from China, which is what Trump can provide,’ notes the memo which is playing a key role in the campaign.