WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump has appointed his close political aide Sergio Gor as the new United States ambassador to India.
The 38-year-old Gor rose quickly in conservative politics to become one of the most powerful aides in the White House with responsibility for vetting approximately 4,000 appointees to ensure loyalty to Trump.
Gor’s enemies include Elon Musk, who branded him a “snake” after he blocked the tech billionaire’s choice to lead NASA.
His influence does not include extensive foreign policy experience beyond joining overseas travel and leading a purge of National Security Council staff.
“For the most populous Region in the World, it is important that I have someone I can fully trust to deliver on my Agenda and help us, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN,“ Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
“Sergio will make an incredible Ambassador,“ he wrote.
Trump stated that Gor would also hold the role of special envoy for South and Central Asia.
Trump has largely sidelined traditional diplomats and relied on personal friends for diplomacy, with the State Department’s top position for South Asia remaining vacant.
The nomination follows increased tensions with India, which the United States has prioritised as an emerging partner since the 1990s.
Trump has moved to increase tariffs on India to pressure it over energy purchases from Russia despite his own diplomacy with Vladimir Putin.
India has recently held top-level meetings with both Russia and China, with successive US administrations viewing India as a balance against China.
Trump has spoken of brokering between India and Pakistan after their May ceasefire, though India has been hesitant about direct US involvement.
Gor was born in Uzbekistan when it was still part of the Soviet Union before moving to Malta as a child.
After attending university in the United States, he became active in Republican Party politics and held top positions with Senator Rand Paul before working as a fundraiser and book publisher for Trump.
In his post, Trump praised Gor’s work as director of presidential personnel, noting that 95% of positions have been filled and that he will remain until Senate confirmation.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio quickly endorsed Gor on X, calling him an “excellent representative of America in one of the most important relationships our nation has in the world.”
Trump named an ambassador to India later than for many other major countries.
While presidents often tap political aides as ambassadors, India has typically received public intellectuals in this role.
Previous US ambassadors to India have included prominent economist John Kenneth Galbraith and social scientist Daniel Patrick Moynihan.
Biden’s ambassador to India was Eric Garcetti, a former Los Angeles mayor known for his interest in Indian philosophy who studied Hindi and Urdu. – AFP