Interview/ Shalabh Kumar, founder, Republican Hindu Coalition, and a close aide of Donald Trump
CHICAGO-BASED INDUSTRIALIST Shalabh Kumar is the founder and chairman of the Republican Hindu Coalition, and is seen as Donald Trump’s favourite Indian American. Kumar is one of Trump’s prominent donors, and also principal architect of his outreach to the Indian American community.
Edited excerpts from an exclusive interview:
Q/ There are many who say that the assassination attempt on Donald Trump has ensured that he will become the US president the second time. Do you think so?
A/ Yes. Within a minute [of being shot] he gets up and says, “Fight on, ‘fight on,” which means he is no ordinary man. Today, America wants a strong person as its leader. The assassination attempt has elevated Trump’s persona in the minds of the electorate. Whether you are a Republican or a Democrat, that image will not move out of your mind. We have never seen an American leader like that, who gets up immediately after being shot.
Q/ How do you look at the chances of Kamala Harris? Her popularity levels seem to have surged after the exit of Joe Biden.
A/ Yes, there is a lot of excitement among the Democrats. The reason is the contrast between Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. With Biden, Democrats were sensing a rout. [Had he continued] they would have lost the senate, the house of representatives, etc. The Democrats would have got demolished like the Congress in India in 2014. When Biden decides to move out, there is big relief in the leadership of the donor class of the Democratic party. Kamala’s weaknesses will be exposed soon. She has advocated for open borders. She is the type who says we don’t need the police in the country. Her true nature needs to be exposed. She is the most leftist, Marxist [presidential] candidate the US has ever had. The US is not ready for a communist as its leader.
Q/ Author Salman Rushdie endorsed Kamala Harris’s candidacy for the US presidency and said it is great to see an Indian woman running for the White House. Do you believe a large number of Indian Americans will now be tempted to vote for her?
A/ Usha [Vance] is a lot stronger, and a true Indian and Hindu. Her husband [J.D. Vance] cooked vegetarian food for Usha’s mother, and that has much more impact on Indian Americans and Hindu Americans. Kamala hardly acknowledges her Indian roots. Around 99 per cent of the time she is an African American woman. Maybe in select groups she will say she has Indian roots. That can be seen through and [the Indian American] voter will expose that truth. What is Kamala’s policy towards China and Pakistan? She is worse than Hillary Clinton as far as policies towards China and Pakistan are concerned.
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Q/ If Trump comes back to power, how do you look at the ties between India and the US evolving? Prime Minister Narendra Modi was one of the first world leaders to condemn the assassination attempt on “friend” Trump.
A/ They are really good friends who clicked together. We did ‘Ab Ki Baar Trump Sarkar’, just like ‘Ab Ki Baar Modi Sarkar’. Trump is totally pro-India. He is dead against terrorism and radical Islam. The US [under Trump] was as aligned with India, as it is with Israel. Under Trump, we [India and the US] made good progress, from 2016 to 2020. Now, from 2024 to 2028 it will be cemented much more. [After that] we look forward to Vance becoming the US president, in 2028, and Usha as the first lady. She has a great influence on Vance.
Q/ Do you believe that Usha Vance as an Indian American Hindu wife will help change the perception about the Republican Party that it is anti-immigrant?
A/ Your assumption [that the Republican Party is anti-immigrant] is incorrect. If you look at articles by prominent Republican leaders over the years, they are all for legal immigration and merit-based immigration. If you are a graduate of an American university you are entitled to get a green card. But if you cross the river and come illegally, that is not going to happen. It has nothing to do with [being] anti-immigrant. It is merit and legal [immigration] vs no merit and illegal [immigration]. The Republican Party believes in merit and legal immigration.