Ajay Bhutoria, former Advisor to the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI), issued a firm condemnation today of President Trump’s recent rhetoric targeting the Indian diaspora and the nation of India. Bhutoria is calling for an immediate withdrawal of these divisive comments, which labeled Indian professionals as “gangsters with laptops.”
"The rhetoric coming from the Oval Office describing India as a ‘hellhole’ and our professional community as ‘gangsters with laptops’ is a dangerous and offensive distortion of reality. I am calling on President Trump to immediately withdraw these comments, which undermine our national interest and insult millions of loyal, hardworking Americans.
We need to be clear about the value of the Indian-American community: Managers with laptops create jobs, fuel innovation, and contribute to massive economic growth. They are infinitely better for the future of this country than gangsters with guns who promote violence and instability.
The facts speak for themselves. The Indian-American community is the most successful immigrant group in U.S. history. Despite being just 1.5% of the population, we contribute nearly 6% of all U.S. income taxes—roughly $300 billion annually. Our ‘laptop warriors’ are the CEOs of Alphabet, Microsoft, and Adobe, and the entrepreneurs who have founded over 10% of America’s unicorn startups.
Furthermore, India is a critical strategic ally, contributing 17% to global GDP growth and partnering with the U.S. on vital defense and semiconductor initiatives through the iCET. Attacking this diaspora is not just a social mistake; it is an economic and geopolitical blunder.
President Trump must recognize that the talent he disparages is the very same talent keeping America competitive in the global race against our actual adversaries. We demand respect for the doctors, engineers, and managers who build this country every day. It is time to retire the xenophobia and embrace the partners who make America great."
