What should have been a standard diplomatic stop has instead spiraled into a viral controversy.
During the final leg of his Asia tour, Donald Trump’s attempt at humor has left observers debating whether a world leader can ever safely joke about another culture—or whether such moments simply reveal a glaring lack of cultural sensitivity.
Trump is facing backlash after appearing to mimic the accent of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his October 29 speech in South Korea.
The Republican elder statesman, 79, spent the week meeting a series of Asian leaders, including Japan’s newly elected prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, with whom he finalized a trade agreement.
In his meeting with Takaichi on October 28, Trump highlighted her historic role as Japan’s first female prime minister, calling it a “big deal” and pledging unwavering U.S. support: “Anything I can do to help Japan, we will be there. At the highest level, we are allies.” The tone was respectful, even celebratory.
Earlier in the tour, Trump had already drawn attention for an unorthodox diplomatic flourish: dancing upon his arrival in Malaysia for the ASEAN conference on October 26. But it was his remarks at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference in Gyeongju that truly ignited online debate.
Recalling a past conflict between India and Pakistan, Trump described Modi as “the nicest looking guy” before adding a puzzling and eyebrow-raising comment: “He’s… oh, you’d like to have your father like that. He’s a killer! He’s tough as hell.” Following this, he launched into what many observers interpreted as a caricature of Modi’s accent, then switched back to his own voice with: “I said whoa, is that the same man that I know?”
The response was swift and scathing. Clips of the speech circulated widely on Twitter and Reddit, drawing comments such as, “This is legitimately hard to watch,” and, “WHAT THE F**K?? Drag him off the stage!!!” One Redditor sarcastically noted, “Not going to play well among MAGA voters who care about respectful portrayals of other cultures.”
The White House, however, defended the president. Spokesperson Anna Kelly emphasized the strong bilateral relationship:
“President Trump has a great relationship with Prime Minister Modi, as evidenced by the frequent communication between the leaders and their ongoing partnership across a range of critical issues.”
This episode underscores the razor-thin line leaders walk when mixing humor with diplomacy. While levity can humanize and connect, misjudged gestures can dominate headlines and overshadow substantive achievements.
In Trump’s case, a fleeting joke—or misstep—has become the story, a reminder that in international relations, perception can matter as much as policy.