Trump's 'great friend': Why is the newly nominated US ambassador to India being called a 'slap in the face to New Delhi'?

 

Trump's 'great friend': Why is the newly nominated US ambassador to India being called a 'slap in the face to New Delhi'?

 

He has published several books written by Donald Trump, raised millions of dollars for the 2024 presidential campaign and recruited loyal aides in Washington during the US president’s second term.

Now this same figure, Sergio Gore, is going to become Trump’s right-hand man in India. There, he will oversee US relations with India and several countries in South and Central Asia.

Last week, Trump nominated Sergio Gore as the US ambassador to India. He described Gore as a “great friend” in whom he has “complete confidence” and who can advance his agenda.

The 38-year-old Gore has become the US ambassador to India at a time when relations between the two countries are cold because Trump has imposed heavy tariffs on India.

Gore’s appointment has received mixed reactions in India. Some observers believe that it is better for bilateral relations to have someone who is a close ally of Trump. But some questioned Trump's decision to give India's new US ambassador a broader regional mandate, especially Pakistan, with which India is embroiled in a diplomatic crisis.

Experts believe that Washington has aligned India with Pakistan by giving Gore a broader regional mandate.

"The additional position of special envoy is likely to create some challenges, at least in India. India generally does not prefer to be associated with Pakistan," says Alyssa Ayers of the Council on Foreign Relations, a think tank in Washington that monitors US foreign policy.

Lawrence Haas, a former senior White House official and associate director of the US Foreign Policy Council, says that Trump may have signaled to Delhi that he does not see being a US ambassador to India as a "full-time job."

‘Gore has limited diplomatic and regional experience’

India faced a similar situation in 2009 when the Obama administration reportedly considered appointing Richard Holbrooke as a special envoy to Pakistan, Afghanistan and India.

However, Trump operates differently than Obama.

In contrast to his predecessor’s cautious approach, Trump has openly taken credit for brokering a ceasefire between Pakistan and India after a four-day battle, which India denies and says no outside force intervened to bring about the ceasefire.

The Trump administration has also pressed India for a trade deal and sought access to sectors such as its dairy and agriculture, which India wants to protect.

It remains to be seen whether Gore’s presence in India will improve relations between Delhi and Washington or whether he will wield Trump’s baton even more forcefully there.

Bill Drexel, a fellow at the Hudson Institute’s Center for Strategy and American Statecraft, says that since Trump is a decision-maker, it is important to have an ambassador in India who will be a great asset to the relationship.

“But Gore still has a lot to learn because his diplomatic and regional experience is limited,” says Drexel.

Ayers agrees. She says Gore’s proximity to the president could lead to “progress” in potential policy complications.

However, Haas says Gore’s lack of diplomatic experience could add to the already strained relationship. According to him, the US should have appointed an envoy who would have improved the situation.

“I suspect Delhi will see this appointment as a slap in the face and as evidence that Trump is not concerned about relations with India,” he says.

The secret to Gore's fame, a Trump family friend

Kushner has described Gore as having an "easygoing" and "trustworthy" personality. Former Congressman Matt Gaetz highlighted the fun aspects of his personality, such as his DJing at "Make America Great Again" parties in Palm Beach.

However, the Western media calls him Trump's most trusted soldier who always carries out his duties.

It is believed that Gore used to assess the loyalty of candidates for presidential appointments to Trump. In June, Elon Musk likened him to a "snake". According to a report in the New York Times, Gore has not yet submitted documents for his permanent security clearance.

The White House insists that Gore has an active clearance and meets all requirements.

How Gore gained popularity is unclear and interesting. He claims to be from the European country of Malta, but was actually born in Uzbekistan in 1986, when it was part of the Soviet Union.

He reportedly spent his childhood in Malta and moved to the United States at the age of 12.

Gore has been interested in Republican politics since his school and college days. At the time, his name was Gorkhovsky, which was shortened to Gore.

He became a junior staffer at the Republican National Committee in 2008. He once wore a squirrel costume during an event to show that Barack Obama was affiliated with an organization that was involved in voter fraud.

After spending two years at Fox News, Gore worked with several Republican politicians, then became part of Trump's fundraising team in 2020.

A year later, he co-founded Winning Team Publishing with Donald Trump Jr., which published several of Trump's books. They also include a photo book called ‘Save America’.

Since 2022, he has owned a house in Florida, just a short distance from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence. He visits there frequently.