President Trump defended Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s record on religious liberty, even as deadly protests erupted between Hindus and Muslims over a law critics say discriminates against Muslims.
“We did talk about religious freedom, and I will say that the prime minister was incredible in what he told me. He wants people to have religious freedom and very strongly,” Trump said in a press conference Tuesday that bookended the public part of a two-day visit.
Trump said that he “asked that question” in a private meeting earlier Tuesday, but he refused to further detail the discussion.
Asked what he thought about the law, Trump demurred. “I don’t want to discuss that,” he said. “I want to leave that to India, and hopefully, they’re going to make the right decision for the people.”
The topic hardly came as a surprise. “I’m sure it will come up,” a senior administration official told reporters in a briefing call Friday, and stressed that the “world is looking to India to uphold democratic norms.” The official pointed to India’s constitution, which holds that religious freedom for all minorities be respected.
Trump and Modi have forged closer ties since Trump’s first years in office.
Trump said he would “be not at all controversial because I don’t want to blow the two days, plus two days of travel, on one answer.” The comment seemed to point to one early misstep the president made, recounted in a new book, A Very Stable Genius, taking Modi by surprise when he did not know the country shares a border with China.
Modi, who has not held a press conference in six years, was absent during Trump’s remarks despite spending much of the day with him.
