President Donald Trump has drawn criticism after posting a message on Truth Social that linked immigration from developing countries to national decline.
In the post, Trump wrote: “Sadly, if you import people from Third World Countries, you quickly become a Third World Country — And there’s not a thing you can do about it. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
The message gained wider attention after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security shared it on X. The department reposted Trump’s statement with the caption: “Import the third world, become the third world. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” The post received one million views.
The post sparked debate online, with users responding to both Trump’s remarks and the department’s endorsement of them. Among the comments was one that read: “India is the third world, sir.”
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As they appear to contrast with his repeated description of India as a friend and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a close ally. Over the past year, Trump has referred to Modi as a “great friend” and a “smart man,” and “India and the United States have a very special relationship,” even while criticizing New Delhi over trade and tariffs.
But his recent Truth Social post stating that countries importing people from the “Third World” would become “Third World” countries has sparked debate, particularly because India is often classified as a developing or Third World nation.
The controversy intensified after the Department of Homeland Security amplified the message on social media, prompting some users to point out that India falls within the category Trump appeared to criticize despite his frequent praise of India and Modi.
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At the same time, Trump has maintained a tough stance on immigration, arguing that unchecked migration can weaken economic opportunities for American workers. Throughout his political career, he has linked stricter border enforcement and tighter immigration policies to his broader “America First” agenda, contending that limiting immigration helps protect jobs, wages, and public resources in the United States.
Trump did not mention India by name in the Truth Social post, and there is no direct evidence that the message was intended as a criticism of the country. So, without an explicit reference to India, it remains unclear whether the message was intended to target the country or was part of Trump’s broader immigration rhetoric.