- President Trump nominated Sergio Gor as US ambassador to India and special envoy for South Asia
- Gor led White House personnel hiring, appointing nearly 4,000 officials under Trump’s administration
- Gor lacks direct India experience but follows precedent of political allies filling ambassador posts
President Donald Trump has nominated longtime aide Sergio Gor as the next US ambassador to India, elevating the Republican operative and campaign fundraiser to one of Washington's most critical diplomatic posts at a time of rising tensions with New Delhi.
Announcing the decision on social media platform Truth Social, Trump said Gor would also serve as his special envoy for South and Central Asian Affairs. He praised Gor's record as head of the White House Presidential Personnel Office, where he oversaw the hiring of nearly 4,000 "America First Patriots across every Department of our Federal Government in RECORD time."
"Sergio is a great friend, who has been at my side for many years," Trump wrote. "For the most populous Region in the World, it is important that I have someone I can fully trust to deliver on my Agenda."
Gor has little direct experience with India, but that has rarely been a disqualification for ambassadorial appointments, which presidents from both parties often reserve for political allies and donors. Under President Joe Biden, the post was held by Eric Garcetti, the former Los Angeles mayor who served as co-chair of Biden's 2020 campaign.
Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, took to X to express his enthusiasm over the President's pick.
I am excited about the Presidents decisions to nominate @SergioGor to be our next Ambassador to India. He will be an excellent representative of America in one of the most important relationships our nation has in the world.
"Gor will be an excellent representative of America in one of the most important relationships our nation has in the world," said Rubio in his post.
Gor's name has not been without controversy. Reports earlier this year suggested that while he oversaw security vetting for thousands of federal employees, Gor himself had not completed paperwork for a permanent clearance and was operating under an interim one. The White House rejected the claims, insisting his clearance was active and his documentation in order.
He also reportedly clashed with Tesla CEO Elon Musk during Musk's brief tenure in the Trump administration.
Gor now takes on the ambassadorial role as US–India ties come under strain. New Delhi has refused to curb purchases of Russian oil despite Washington's demands following the Ukraine war. Trump has responded by doubling tariffs on Indian goods to 50% and describing India as a "dead" economy with "obnoxious" trade barriers.
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