The appointment of Sriram Krishnan as Senior Policy Advisor for Artificial Intelligence in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy has sparked a meltdown within the American right.
Laura Loomer, a prominent commentator in this faction, reduced the debate to a swamp of racism and bigotry, accusing Krishnan of undermining “America First” policies and hurling vile insults at Indians.
It’s an absurd reaction but hardly surprising from a movement that wears its xenophobia as a badge of honour.
Loomer, in an outrageous tirade, claimed, “Our country was built by white Europeans, actually. Not third world invaders from India,” and went on to spew even more appalling rhetoric, saying Indians “s**t in the water they bathe and drink from.”
Elon Musk, perhaps the movement’s most prominent figure, now finds himself in the crossfire.
But the real scandal here isn’t just Loomer’s grotesque tirade or her MAGA (“Make America Great Again”) cohorts echoing it. It’s the fact that these very people — who wouldn’t think twice before spitting on the contributions of Indian immigrants — are lionised by sections of Indians as allies in some imagined global fight against liberal elites.
This misplaced solidarity is not only naive, but self-destructive.
At the heart of this controversy is the H-1B visa programme and green card reform — issues that, for the far right, have always been an excuse to peddle anti-immigrant vitriol.
Krishnan’s support for removing country-specific caps on green cards — a policy aimed at reducing a decade-long backlog for Indian professionals — was deliberately misrepresented as a free-for-all immigration policy. Loomer and her ilk thrive on such distortions, rallying their base with dog whistles (and in this case, blaring foghorns).
Musk’s tepid defence of Krishnan’s stance was met with predictable outrage from MAGA loyalists. His support shouldn’t have come as a surprise, given that he has consistently argued in favour of allowing more skilled workers to enter the country legally.
But the irony is palpable — Musk, who helped Trump’s campaign, amplified MAGA voices, and is perhaps Trump’s closest adviser currently, is being branded a traitor for advocating common sense on immigration. The American right, it seems, is incapable of logical consistency.
The hypocrisy of this movement is staggering. The same MAGA warriors decrying skilled immigrants like Krishnan happily praise their contributions when it suits their narrative. They’ll point to the likes of Vivek Ramaswamy, Usha Vance, and even the chief executives of Indian origin dominating Silicon Valley to argue for the “greatness” of America.
But when discussions about immigration or an appointee challenge their narrow, exclusionary worldview, their true colours are revealed — a deep-seated hatred driven not by policy concerns but by identity.
What’s more embarrassing is the unflinching support for Trump and his movement in India. For years, many Indians have treated Trump as some kind of anti-establishment hero, a crusader against the deep state and a counterweight to the Democrats’ patronising lectures on human rights.
But this worship ignores the glaring reality: Trump’s politics and those of his MAGA base are fundamentally hostile to the interests of Indians, both in America and abroad.
Consider climate change, a vital issue where Indian interests align with the global south’s demand for fair contributions from the West. The MAGA right dismisses these arguments outright. Even “moderates” like Nikki Haley have scoffed at the idea of climate reparations or technology transfer. Yet, Indian supporters of Trump seem blissfully unaware, or perhaps wilfully ignorant, of how his policies harm India’s long-term goals.
The same goes for Trump’s immigration agenda. While Trump himself hasn’t targeted skilled immigrants outright, his administration’s policies and rhetoric have emboldened the likes of Loomer, who equate Indian professionals with “invaders.” It’s laughable that Indian-Americans who have contributed enormously to the US economy are now being vilified by the very people Indian Trump supporters idolise.
The unravelling of the American right over Krishnan’s appointment exposes a deeper rot within the MAGA movement, an inability to reconcile its own contradictions.
On one hand, it champions free-market principles and the global competitiveness of American corporations, which, by the way, rely heavily on immigrant talent.
On the other, it panders to a nativist base that sees any foreigner, even a highly educated and skilled one, as a threat.
This saga should serve as a wake-up call for Indians who have uncritically championed Trump and his coalition. The MAGA movement isn’t some benign ally in a shared fight against global liberalism. It’s a toxic, exclusionary force that thrives on divisiveness and scapegoating. Its anti-immigrant agenda doesn’t distinguish between illegal border crossers and skilled professionals. To the MAGA crowd, all foreigners are a threat.
Trump’s MAGA base has made it abundantly clear that their disdain for immigrants, including Indians, isn’t just an aberration; it’s a feature. The Indian right’s failure to recognise this reality is not just shortsighted; it’s dangerous. By aligning themselves with a movement that fundamentally opposes their own interests, they risk becoming complicit in their own marginalisation.
It’s time for a reality check. The American right’s lunacy over Indians isn’t just their problem. It’s a warning to those in India who have (mis)placed their faith in Trumpism. Wake up, or risk being blindsided when the facade inevitably crumbles.
