WASHINGTON, D.C.- President Donald Trump has chosen Sergio Gor, a close and longstanding ally, to be the next U.S. Ambassador to India. This is a strong message to the Indian government. On Friday, the President made the announcement on social media, calling Gor, 38, a “great friend” who has been by his side for many years.
Gor’s nomination comes at a time when tensions between the two countries are rising, mostly because of President Trump’s harsh trade policies. The President has frequently slammed India, calling it a “dead” economy with “obnoxious” trade restrictions. He has raised duties on Indian imports to 50 percent. The U.S. and India trade with each other for more than $190 billion a year, which is quite important for both economies.
A source who knows about the situation said that Gor was chosen not because of his typical diplomatic background—he doesn’t know anything about India—but because he is “very personally close” to the President. Politico got a tip that Gor’s hiring is a “clear signal that the negotiations need to be serious and that all messages come from the president.”
Several high-ranking members of the Trump administration, such as Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President J.D. Vance, have backed the nomination. They both said they were sure Gor could serve the United States well. Steve Bannon, a former adviser for the White House, also applauded the nomination and pointed out that Gor has a special way of getting to the President. Bannon added, “I think Sergio is the only person outside [Chief of Staff] Susie [Wiles] and a few others who can actually walk in on the president at any time, day or night.” He went on to say that Gor may not know a lot about Indian policy concerns, but he learns quickly and has the President’s “unique trust.”
If the Senate approves Gor, he will take over for Eric Garcetti, who was the ambassador from May 2023 to January 2025. Gor was born in Uzbekistan, which was then part of the Soviet Union. He came to the United States when he was a child. He has been a part of Republican politics for a long time, working as an aide to Senator Rand Paul before joining Trump’s team. As the Director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office, the President has praised him for hiring approximately 4,000 “America First Patriots” to work for the federal government.
The Senate will have to go through a long procedure to confirm Gor, which would include a review by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a full vote. The fact that the nomination comes at a time of major trade tensions and as India wants to improve its ties with other major world powers like Russia and China shows how important it is for both countries to fix their relationship.