Numbers matter: Trump says 10 million people will welcome him
Donald Trump is looking forward to his maiden trip to India as the US President, but more than seeing the Taj Mahal or inking the trade deal, he is excited about the crowd that will welcome him in Ahmedabad. According to Trump, some 10 million people will greet him in the capital city of Gujarat. Earlier, he said 7 million people would be present.
While Trump and First Lady Melania were confirmed visitors, his daughter Ivanka, and son-in-law Jared Kushner, could also be by his side in India. The highlight of the trip will be the "Namaste Trump" event at Ahmedabad, planned on the lines of "Howdy Modi!" that happened in the US last year. The Trump family will spend some time in Agra too.
Now, Trump was hugely impressed by the crowd that cheered for PM Modi in Houston. For him, PM Modi was nothing short of rock legend Elvis Presley, who could change the atmosphere instantly. And for Trump to attain the same stature, he must have an equivalent crowd. Perhaps this is why he keeps mentioning the number of people he is expecting in Ahmedabad.
"Prime Minister Modi said we will have 10 million people to greet you. Here's my problem, we have a packed house. We have a lot of people, thousands of people who couldn't get in. It's going to look like peanuts from now on," he said.
Trump, who is eyeing a second Presidential term, made these remarks at a rally in the US with an intention to drum up support for himself. However, he might be being too ambitious. The population of Ahmedabad is somewhere around 7 to 8 million. On Thursday, Ahmedabad Municipal Commissioner said one lakh people are expected to line up for PM Modi and Trump.
The noise around "Namaste Trump" has drowned other crucial things. Both sides were expected to sign a trade deal but Trump said he is saving the deal for later. And during the rally, he said, "I really like PM Modi but we gotta talk a little business. They gave us tariffs. One of the highest tariffs in the world is those offered by India. (sic)"
#WATCH US President Donald Trump: I am going to India next week, and we are talking trade. They have been hitting us very hard for many years. I really like PM Modi but we gotta talk a little business. One of the highest tariffs in the world is India pic.twitter.com/ZVUcD8g7Oq
— ANI (@ANI) February 21, 2020
Reports suggest both parties don't want to "rush the deal" and come up with a solution that is perfect for them. The long-term objective is that India and the US become "FTA partners", but until that happens trips like these will keep global media busy. As of now, Trump is eagerly waiting to put up a show while inaugurating the world's biggest cricket stadium.
