‘Nicest Guy, Total Killer’: The Ones Where ‘Friends’ PM Modi, US President Trump Praised Each Other

Last Updated:February 11, 2025, 20:17 IST

Ahead of his US visit on February 12, PM Narendra Modi wrote on X: “I look forward to meeting my friend, President Trump. Although this will be our first meeting following his historic electoral victory and inauguration in January, I have a very warm recollection…Read More

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in the United States on February 12 in what will be his first official visit after his “friend” Donald Trump started his second term as the US President on January 20.

“I look forward to meeting my friend, President Trump. Although this will be our first meeting following his historic electoral victory and inauguration in January, I have a very warm recollection of working together in his first term in building a Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership between India and the US,” the PM said on X.

“This visit will be an opportunity to build upon the successes of our collaboration in his first term and develop an agenda to further elevate and deepen our partnership, including in the areas of technology, trade, defence, energy, and supply chain resilience. We will work together for the mutual benefit of the people of our two countries and shape a better future for the world,” the PM added.

Over the years, PM Modi has built a camaraderie with Trump. A look at the occasions where they have praised each other:

‘Modi will do what’s right’: Last month, Trump had said PM Modi would visit the White House in February, emphasising that he has “a very good relationship with India.” Trump had also told reporters that PM Modi “will do what’s right” when it comes to taking back Indian immigrants who came to the US illegally. This came after the Trump administration deported 104 Indian immigrants living illegally in the United States last week.

‘My friend Trump’: As Trump’s second term got confirmed, PM Modi posted on X: “Heartiest congratulations my friend @realDonaldTrump on your historic election victory. As you build on the successes of your previous term, I look forward to renewing our collaboration to further strengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global and Strategic Partnership. Together, let’s work for the betterment of our people and to promote global peace, stability and prosperity.”

‘Modi’s the nicest guy, a total killer, but if someone threatened India…’: “Modi… India, he’s a friend of mine, he’s great. Before him, they were replacing them every year, (very) unstable. On the outside, he looks like your father, he’s the nicest guy, but he’s a total killer,” Trump told comedians Andrew Schulz and Akaash Singh who host the popular Flagrant Podcast, in October. He also recalled sharing the stage with PM Modi during 2019’s Howdy Modi event in Texas’ Houston and said it was beautiful to see a packed stadium cheering for Narendra Modi. Trump then said PM Modi would ‘change’ when someone would threaten India. “When someone was threatening India, he would totally change…” Trump said.

Then turning to Akaash Singh, who is an Indian-American comic, the Republican said: “I said, “Let me help, I am very good with those people. He was talking about a certain country; you can probably guess the country”.

He then quoted PM Modi’s firm response. “He said, “I will do it, I will do anything necessary, we have defeated them for hundreds of years,” Trump recalled.

“I said, whoa, what happened there? They are all smart, and he’s a very good person,” Trump said, referring to PM Modi and Indians in general.

‘Deep concern’: In July 2024, Prime Minister Modi had expressed deep concern over the recent attack on former US President Trump, who was shot at during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. In a post on social media platform X, Modi stressed that violence has no place in politics or democracies and wished him a speedy recovery.

‘Good friend, Modi’: A week before the US presidential election, Trump had, in a Diwali post on X, vowed to strengthen the “great partnership” between the United States and India, referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as his “good friend”.

‘Modi, a fantastic man’: While Trump criticised India as an “abuser” in terms of import tariffs, he referred to Modi as a “fantastic man” during a town hall in Flint, Michigan in September. “Perhaps the most important element of my plan to make America extraordinarily wealthy again is reciprocity. It’s a word that’s very important in my plan because we generally don’t charge tariffs. I started that process, it was so great, with the vans and the small trucks, etc. We really don’t charge. China will charge us a 200 per cent tariff. Brazil is a big charger. The biggest charger of all is India,” Trump said.

“India is a very big charger. We have a great relationship with India. I did. And especially the leader, Modi. He’s a great leader. Great man. Really is a great man. He’s brought it together. He’s done a great job. But they probably charge as much,” he had said.

‘America’s most loyal friend’: In the high-profile ‘Howdy, Modi!’ rally in Texas in 2019, Trump hosted Modi in one of the largest-ever gatherings in the US for a foreign leader. “I’m so thrilled to be here in Texas with one of America’s greatest, most devoted and most loyal friends, Prime Minister Modi of India,” Trump told the crowd.

‘India-US share closer relationship’: In 2020, Modi hosted Trump in Gujarat at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, with over 120,000 people in attendance. “I think today we can see history being repeated. 5 months back I started my US trip with ‘Howdy Modi’ and today my friend President Donald Trump is starting his Indian trip with ‘Namaste Trump’ here in Ahmadabad,” Modi had said.

“India US relations in not just a partnership. It is a far greater and closer relationship. One is ‘land of the free’ the other believes the world is one family. One feels proud of ‘statue of liberty’ the other feels proud of ‘statue of unity’. President Trump is here with his family.”