International banker and political strategist Anshuman Mishra revealed that US President-elect Donald Trump intends to visit India next year. Mishra got it straight from the horse’s mouth, as he spent Election Night and the subsequent days with Trump and his family at Mar-a-Lago, their Palm Beach, Florida, retreat.
In an exclusive interview with India Today News Director Rahul Kanwal from Manhattan, Mishra described the charged atmosphere in Trump’s inner circle — comprising tech magnate Elon Musk, popular podcaster Joe Rogan, UFC President Dana White, billionaire Steve Wynn and others — on that historic night as vote counts rolled in. Trump was initially relaxed but as the evening wore on, excitement for a palpable victory started building.
“In the first stretch, he didn’t sit even for a minute. And this man is 78 years old,” Mishra said. “At 11:30, when North Carolina got called, he got comfortable. He sat down again, finished his meal. Around midnight, we all left for the convention centre for his big speech, and he was up till 3:30 in the morning.”
Mishra was among a select few invited to celebrate Trump’s election victory alongside his family and shared exclusive images from Mar-a-Lago.
He shared insights into Trump’s admiration for the scale of Indian political rallies, something that stuck with the Republican during his 2024 campaign.
“He’s very impressed with the crowds that come to Indian rallies,” Mishra said, adding that Trump has a special regard for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ability to mobilise crowds. “He said, ‘I used to think I do big rallies. Then I ended up in Ahmedabad, and your leader showed me what the real crowd is.’”
Trump recalled participating in “Howdy, Modi!”— a event in Houston that drew massive crowds in 2019— and told Mishra, “The way you guys do rallies, we can never dream of.”
ON TRUMP’S TRADE TARIFFS
Despite the bonhomie between the two leaders, the businessman cautioned about a potential trade slump. Mishra recounted how Trump told him that New Delhi has benefitted disproportionately in its dealings with Washington, saying, “India has been eating the US for lunch with the trade deficit.”
He said Trump is expected to prioritise American economic interests, including the possibility of trade tariffs, even at the risk of impacting allies. During his campaign, he pledged to impose a 20 per cent tax on all imports and a 60 per cent tariff on Chinese goods.
“He’s really serious about ‘America First,’” Mishra explained. “Because he sees America suffering… He’s very serious about helping those who have got him this far.”
‘GOLDEN ERA OF US-INDIA TIES’
Mishra, however, remains optimistic about the broader relationship, predicting that Trump’s return to office could herald a “golden era” for US-India ties. Trump’s strong rapport with Prime Minister Modi, according to Mishra, is a key driver.
“He kept saying, ‘I’m going to go to India.’ The next day, I had lunch with him and his family, and he said, ‘I spoke to Prime Minister Modi and I love that guy. I’m going to go to India next year,’” Mishra recalled.
“He has some special bond with India. It’s very deep. I’ve never seen any US President really being genuine about it,” he added.
Mishra envisions Trump’s second term as a pathway to further cementing PM Modi’s influence at home, coining it as “Trump 2.0 leading to Modi 20,” or an uninterrupted term at the helm for the BJP leader from 2014 through 2034.
“It’s like having a best friend in the White House and White House having a best friend in New Delhi at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg,” he remarked.
Asked if Trump might pivot toward China if offered favourable terms, Mishra dismissed the notion, citing the tense relations between the two superpowers as a barrier.
“I don’t think the atmosphere exists for him to do any deal with Chinaâæ The entire Republican Party’s DNA is not going to do that. There’s no way. India is the natural fit, natural ally,” said Mishra.
“There’s no way,” Mishra said. “India is the natural fit, natural allyâæ the entire Republican Party’s DNA is not going to do that.”