At a rally like no other, Trump woos Indian American voters ahead of 2020

Source: Politico | September 22, 2019 | Anita Kumar

The president tried to appeal to the growing political force at a huge ‘Howdy, Modi’ event with India’s popular leader.

HOUSTON — It wasn’t your typical Trump campaign rally.

Instead of red Make America Great Again hats, there were turbans and Islamic caps. Women in traditional Indian garb danced to drums. And tens of thousands of cheering Indian Americans chanted “USA!” and snapped photos.

President Donald Trump appeared at a cavernous football stadium on Sunday alongside Narendra Modi, the popular prime minister of India, who attracted a crowd of 50,000 from across the U.S. to what was touted as the largest event in the country for a leader of foreign country.

“You have never had a better friend as president than President Donald Trump,” Trump said as the crowd roared with approval. “We thank you. We love you. I want you to know my administration is fighting for you each and every day.”

Trump is hoping to appeal to Indian American voters, a growing political force in the U.S., with his business-friendly agenda — especially the 2017 tax cuts — as well as his tough talk on terrorism and his decision to show up at the rally even though the ethnic group has generally backed Democrats.

“It’s giving a message to the Indian community that Trump is a big friend of India,” said Rupesh Srivastava, a Michigan businessman and founding member of the Republican Hindu Coalition. “That message will definitely motivate people.”

At the rally, Modi heaped praise on Trump, calling him “a great American president” and “a friend of India” who has a “strong resolve to make America great again.”

“His name is familiar to every person on the planet,” Modi said. “He was a household name and very popular even before went onto occupy the highest office in this great country … from CEO to commander in chief, from the boardroom to the Oval Office, from studio to the global stage. … He has left a deep and lasting impact everywhere.”

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