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Indian Americans Republicans react to Trump’s identity attack on Harris
Trump stated that Kamala Harris had always promoted her Indian heritage and that he was unaware she identified as Black until a few years ago.
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Vivek Ramaswamy, Niraj Antani and Harmeet Dhillon. / X
Prominent Indian American Republicans responded to Donald Trump claims of Kamala Harris being more Indian than Black on July 31.
Speaking to the nation’s largest annual gathering of Black journalists, Trump suggested that his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris, had previously downplayed her Black heritage and always promoted her Indian heritage.
"She was always of Indian heritage, and she was only promoting Indian heritage. I didn't know she was Black, until a number of years ago, when she happened to turn Black, and now she wants to be known as Black," Trump said.
Supporting Trump's claim, former Indian American Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy agreed that Kamala Harris leaned into her Indian heritage when it was convenient in California but is now casting that aside and embracing her Black identity when it is convenient on a national level.
“Many Indian-Americans in the US are indeed somewhat offended by the way Kamala has suddenly cast aside the Indian-American side of identity... She wore that when it was convenient. She's wearing a different identity now,” he told Fox News.
Kamala leaned into her Indian heritage when it was convenient in California, she’s now casting that aside & leaning into black identity when it’s convenient nationally. Identity politics is a losing game for our country, it’s our American identity that really matters in the end. pic.twitter.com/NhRNKE0a8B
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) July 31, 2024
“Identity politics is a losing game for our country, it’s our American identity that really matters in the end,” he said in a post on X.
Niraj Antani, an Indian American Republican Party politician who serves as a state senator representing the 6th district in the Ohio State Senate, also supported Trump's claim.
“As the 1st Indian American State Senator in Ohio history, President Trump is totally right about this. Kamala Harris owned her Indian American identity when it benefited her, but since running for Vice President she doesn’t talk about it or own it anymore. She is only Black now,” he said in a post on X.
As the 1st Indian American State Senator in Ohio history, President Trump is totally right about this. Kamala Harris owned her Indian American identity when it benefited her, but since running for Vice President she doesn’t talk about it or own it anymore. She is only Black now. https://t.co/7fhuPKA9zO
— Niraj Antani (@NirajAntani) July 31, 2024
Prominent Indian American lawyer and California Republican Party member Harmeet Dhillon derided the Vice President’s identity, labeling her as "bad news" for Americans.
“Indian, Jamaican, even pretend Deep South African American — whatever, Kamala Harris is 100% bad news for American Americans!” she said in a social media post.
Indian, Jamaican, even pretend Deep South African American — whatever, Kamala Harris is 100% bad news for American Americans! pic.twitter.com/vrkkTui6P8
— Harmeet K. Dhillon (@pnjaban) July 31, 2024
Harris, who has Indian and Jamaican heritage, has consistently identified as both Black and South Asian. She is the first person of both Black and South Asian American descent to serve as vice president.
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