He's like an angel, but is a tough trader: Trump's big praise for PM Modi
There may have been frostiness in ties between India and the US, but the camaraderie between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump
There may have been frostiness in ties between India and the US, but the camaraderie between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump was on show during their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit. The same Trump who labelled India a "hellhole" and a "dead economy" turned the meeting, their first in over a year, into a praise-a-thon for PM Modi, describing him as a "tough trader" but as nice as an "angel". Read Full Story The joint press conference after the bilateral seemed like a hark back to the 'Howdy Modi' and 'Namaste Trump' days as the US President showered praise on his "friend" PM Modi. In fact, Trump went as far as to say that "if anybody attacks that man, we're going to be there", in what seemed to be a subtle message to Pakistan.
#WATCH | Evian, France: Speaking about PM Modi, the Russia-Ukraine war, US President Donald Trump says, "...He's a very tough negotiator... You look at this man. I'll give you a lesson. He's the most beautiful-looking man. He looks so nice, like an angel. But actually, he's as pic.twitter.com/KoggIcAUa4— ANI (@ANI) June 17, 2026 PM MODI IS A KILLER: TRUMP The eccentric US President said both sides were close to the trade deal, which has been hanging fire since February when Trump and Modi announced a framework agreement. The issue seems to have prominently figured during their talks as Trump called the Prime Minister a tough "trader" and "negotiator" -- a phrase he has often used in the past to highlight Modi's persona of a strong operator behind the scenes.
During the interaction, Trump stressed that PM Modi's appearance often catches people off guard. "He's a very tough negotiator... You look at this man. I'll give you a lesson. He's the most beautiful-looking man. He looks so nice, like an angel," Trump said. The US President, however, was quick to add that Modi's gentle appearance should not be mistaken for weakness. "Actually, he's as tough as he is a killer... But he looks so good. So he gets you by surprise. But there are a few people like this. People say he's such a nice man. I said he's very tough. He's a tough trader," Trump said, drawing chuckles from PM Modi. 'WILL BE THERE IF INDIA IS ATTACKED' The biggest takeaway, however, was Trump's assertion that Washington would always be there for New Delhi even though the countries do not have a formal defence agreement.
"We don't have a formal (defence) contract... But if they (India) were attacked, we would be there to help," Trump said. In a light-hearted manner, he further added, "Now, if there is a new leader, I am not sure about it. But if they are attacked and he (Modi) is the leader, we are going to be there to help." Ends
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