Prominent Indian Americans have praised President Donald Trump for his historic return to the White House as the 47th President of the United States.
Trump is only the second President in US history, after Grover Cleveland, to win two non-consecutive terms. With 291 electoral votes, more than the requisite minimum of 270 to win the Presidency, he achieved strong results not only in battleground states, but also made significant gains in others compared to 2016. His 2024 win is reflected in both electoral college and popular vote.
During his 25-minute victory speech at the Palm Beach County Convention Center, in Florida, the President-elect, expressed, “Every single day I will be fighting for you, and with every breath in my body, I will not rest until we have delivered the strong, safe and prosperous America that our children deserve and that you deserve. This will truly be the golden age of America – that’s what we have to know.”
Without naming his opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, he emphasized, “It’s time to put the divisions of the past four years behind us. It’s time to unite and we’re going to try, we have to try. And it’s going to happen,” while striking a tone of unity in the aftermath of this highly contentious election.
At the event, Trump congratulated Vice President-elect JD Vance and his Indian-origin wife, referring to her as “absolutely remarkable and beautiful wife Usha Vance.”
On November 6th, during her concession speech at Howard University in Washington DC, her alma matar, VP Harris expressed, “We must accept the results of this election. Earlier today, I spoke with President-elect Trump and congratulated him on his victory. I also told him that we will help him and his team with their transition, and that we will engage in a peaceful transfer of power.”
Padma Shri recipient and Chairman of Parikh Worldwide Media and ITV Gold, Dr. Sudhir Parikh, told South Asian Herald (SAH), “It’s a great victory for democracy. The election went very well and very smooth. President Trump won the election because his agenda touched upon themes for the American people including economy, jobs, immigration, and taxes.”
To fulfill his promises in the next four years, Dr. Parikh indicated that President Trump will also have the support of the Republican Senate majority and the US House as well.
He also pointed out that the recent survey conducted by Axis My America Poll, in partnership with ITV Gold, predicted President Trump’s Victory. “The survey was precise and accurate because it predicted 291 electoral college votes, and he got exactly 291 votes.”
Noting that President Trump’s win is good news for India, he said, “President Trump is proven to be pro-India, and he gets along well with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”
Former Lieutenant Governor candidate of Virginia, Puneet Ahluwalia told SAH, “True American spirit prevailed with a decisive victory for President Trump. This historic win is good for all Americans and inspirational to freedom loving world citizens,” adding, “We need to bring back the rule of law to our cities, re-create a thriving vibrant economy of our nation, move towards energy independence, take care of our veterans and seniors with emphasis on quality and merit-based education and peaceful resolution to the wars.”
Founding Chairman of Sikhs for Trump, Jesse Singh told SAH, “History has been written. Besieging all adversities including attempts on his life, President Trump has emerged victorious.”
Singh who has been a supporter of President Trump since 2015, and a member of the finance team of President Trump’s campaign further noted that under Trump’s Presidency, America will shine again, and he is looking for a glorious future between India and America.
Chair of the Virginia Asian Advisory Board, Srilekha Palle, told SAH, “On behalf of the Hindu Indian American community, we proudly celebrate President Trump’s historic victory. President Trump’s commitment to preserving freedom, promoting economic growth, and strengthening national security resonates deeply with our values of resilience, perseverance and devotion to family and community.”
Palle conveyed “We look forward to a brighter future where our shared ideals enrich America,” by fostering unity and respect across all backgrounds to collectively pursue the American dream.
COO of Parikh Worldwide Media, Ilayas Quraishi told SAH “President-elect Trump’s recent shift in tone offers hope for a leadership approach that unites rather than divides. His victory signals a desire among many Americans for stability and continuity, yet the strong support for Vice President Kamala Harris underscored a widespread call for diversity and progress.”
In the end, according to Quraishi, Americans are united in their desire for peace, prosperity, and meaningful action—not just empty promises. He added, “As the world watches, there is hope that this new administration will prioritize policies that serve all Americans and build a future of inclusivity and genuine progress.”
Calling it a “highly competitive election,” Executive Director of the American Hindu Coalition, Alok Srivastava, told SAH, “While some may feel disappointed by the outcome, it is now time for all communities to come together in unity and support the new President in working toward a future that benefits everyone. This is the spirit of democracy.”
According to Srivastava, the President represents the entire country, beyond any party lines and as such hoped that President Trump will lead America to move forward on a positive path.
Congratulating the President-elect, Executive Director of Indiaspora, Sanjeev Joshipura, said “Over the years, we appreciate that he has cultivated a relationship with the Indian diaspora in the United States. We now look forward to working with him and his incoming administration.”
“There are many people I know within the Indian American community today, who are elated and relieved with the re-election of President Trump. His resounding victory and pro-American message restores optimism that our country’s future is bright,” Mahesh Shenai, a Fairfax resident in Virginia, told SAH.
Prem Swaminathan, a resident of Florida, a key swing state, told SAH, “I adore President Trump for his positive attitude towards India and PM Modi. This is going to be of utmost importance in global politics going forward. India will see the adversarial attitude of the Biden-Harris Administration replaced by a benevolent Trump-Vance administration.”
Swaminathan, who attended Trump’s inauguration in 2017, recalled that he and his friends organized fundraising efforts in the US and held a Kartha Veerya Arjuna Homam in Chennai, India, in 2020. Following the ceremony, his six friends and him recited the Aditya Hridayam Slokam for 45 consecutive days, hoping to secure President Trump’s victory.
He believes the Aditya Hridayam not only protected President Trump from political adversaries but also shielded him from would-be assassins. Although their prayers were answered later than expected, he still perceives “a divine hand in this win.”
President-elect Trump, who recently survived assassination attempts in Butler, Pennsylvania, and near his Florida golf course, was impeached twice in 2019 and 2021. However, the Republican-controlled Senate acquitted him on all charges in both cases.
In May, Trump was convicted in New York on 34 felony counts related to falsifying business records in the Stormy Daniels hush money case, tied to his 2016 campaign. His sentencing is set for November 26th. Additionally, he was indicted last year in Georgia on charges of election interference; a trial date for this case has yet to be scheduled.
