May never be excited about crowd again after visiting India, Donald Trump says at US rally

PTI photo

Washington: US President Donald Trump on Saturday (March 01) praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling him a 'great guy' who is loved by his countrymen.

Terming his recent visit to India 'worthwhile', President Trump, while addressing a rally in South Carolina, a southern-eastern US state, also quipped that he would never be excited again about crowds after having addressed over 1 lakh spectators in Ahmedabad's Motera Stadium earlier this week.

"I was with the Prime Minister of India, Modi. Great guy, loved by the people of India. And we had an amazing thing. And I went in, and here's the problem. This is a big crowd. And normally I like talking about my crowds because I get the crowds like nobody, but I just got back from 140 or 50 or 60,000 people and now I'm coming here," President Trump said.

"I may never be excited again about a crowd after going to India. Think of this, they have 1.5 billion people. We have 350, so we''re doing pretty well, I'll tell you what, but I love this crowd, and I love that crowd too. Tell you they have a great love for. They have a great love. They have a great leader, and they have a great love for the people of this country. That was really a worthwhile trip," he added.

Trump, before his India visit, had said that PM Modi had told him that 5-7 million people would line up to see him. The US President, accompanied by wife Melania and daughter Ivanka Trump, headed a high-level delegation as he visited India earlier this week.

During their 36-hour visit, President Trump and the First Lady attended various events and visited two cities, Ahmedabad and Agra, besides the national capital of India. 

Upon their arrival at Ahmedabad airport on Monday, the US first couple was accorded a rousing welcome by Prime Minister Modi and lakhs of people who had gathered on the side of the street and at Ahmedabad's Motera Stadium. 

Later, the US President addressed the 'Namaste Trump' event at Ahmedabad's Motera Stadium along with PM Modi, where both the leaders had hailed the growing ties between the two countries.

From Ahmedabad, the couple had flown to Agra in Uttar Pradesh to visit the Taj Mahal where the two, holding hands, took a stroll on the lawns. They also posed for a picture at the famed Diana's bench.

In the last leg of their visit, President Trump and Melania visited New Delhi. The US President received a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday morning. He then visited the Rajghat where he paid homage to Father of The Nation Mahatma Gandhi. Following this, he and Prime Minister Modi held delegation-level talks at Hyderabad House during which three agreements were finalised.

The couple wrapped up their visit by attending a banquet hosted by President Ram Nath Kovind on February 25 night.