Who's stupid in US? Rubio's remark sparks buzz, his office deletes post
Marco Rubio was recently pressed over Donald Trump's 'hellhole' remark on India. Rubio's reply about 'stupid people' in the US has led to speculation over whether he had indirectly referred to Trump. Was it a jab at his boss or simply a brain-fade moment?
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, on a four-day visit to India, is definitely feeling the heat. One is New Delhi's unforgiving 45-degree summer. The other is the political fire over his now-viral "stupid people in the US" remark — made after a reporter cornered him over his boss Donald Trump's controversial "hellhole" jibe at India.
However, Rubio's seeming bid at damage control quickly snowballed into a social media storm, ironic enough for even the US State Department to quietly delete the post. But by then, social media had already latched onto the obvious question. Who exactly was Rubio calling 'stupid people'? Did he, even unintentionally, end up talking about his own boss?
'STUPID PEOPLE WHO MAKE DUMB REMARKS'
To get to the answer, we need to look at what transpired during the press conference on May 24.
With External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar by his side, Rubio was asked about the alleged endorsement of anti-India and racist remarks coming from the US. It was apparently a reference to Trump's endorsement of an American podcaster's remarks labelling India a "hellhole".
Rubio was caught off guard. He seemingly forgot about his own boss's last month's vitriol.
"Who made those comments? Which ones?" Rubio asked. The reporter played coy, without directly naming Trump. He said the comments were "pretty well known" and were also endorsed.
Rubio may or may not have got the hint. Call it brain fade or admirable bluntness, Rubio's answer was seen by many on social media as an unintended swipe at Trump.
"I am sure that there are people who have made comments online, and in other places, because every country in the world has stupid people," Rubio said.
"I am sure there are stupid people here. There are stupid people in the United States who make dumb comments all the time," he further said.
The reporter later specified that his question was regarding Trump's "hellhole" post.
Last month, Trump posted a transcript from a right-wing podcast in which the host, Michael Savage, slammed the US constitutional right to citizenship for everyone born in the country.
Accusing India and China of abusing the privilege, Savage referred to the countries as "hellhole" places. He further said that immigrants from India had not "integrated" into the US as "European Americans" had.
Without naming Trump, India, in a rare rebuke for the White House, called the remarks "uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste".
Trump's "hellhole" post came amid fluctuating ties between Delhi and Washington. In fact, Rubio's visit to India is being seen by experts as the US's bid to defuse tensions after Trump's aggressive actions in the past year against India.
WHOM DID RUBIO REFER TO AS 'STUPID'?
While it is not known whom Rubio was referring to as "stupid", critics were quick to point out that the top US official — whether inadvertently or subconsciously — appeared to indirectly characterise Trump's comments as "dumb". It could also have been intended for podcaster Michael Savage.
But considering past tensions between Rubio and Trump, the internet was quick to conclude that it was an unintended swipe at the US President.
The US State Department also shared Rubio's remarks on X. However, as the controversy blew up, it quietly deleted the post. Perhaps it realised that Rubio might have just called his boss stupid.
"The State Department initially posted the exchange online, but later removed it after people pointed out that Rubio's answer appeared to indirectly characterise Trump's comments as dumb," tweeted US political commentator Ed Krassenstein.
Even the Iran consulate in Hyderabad couldn't stop itself from taking a jab. "US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Trump stupid over the press conference," it tweeted. It also reposted a comment by a user, "Marco Rubio's first correct statement".
The controversy, however, didn't end there. The shadow of Trump's "hellhole" remark continued to dog Rubio on Monday as well.
An American journalist pressed Rubio on the issue, bluntly telling him that the reporter was specifically referring to Trump's comment against Indians. It was a curveball Rubio couldn't avoid, but he did manage to dodge it.
"I don't know who he was talking about. I figured, I assumed that he was talking about people posting stuff online," Rubio said.
He then took a pause, perhaps gauging the absurdity of what had transpired after his "stupid" remark. Praise for Trump followed.
"I wouldn't be here if the President didn't want me to be here. He wouldn't have sent someone like Sergio (Gor) to be our ambassador, someone who's very close to the President," Rubio said.
It seemed like damage control. But only Rubio would know deep down for whom the "stupid" remark was intended.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, on a four-day visit to India, is definitely feeling the heat. One is New Delhi's unforgiving 45-degree summer. The other is the political fire over his now-viral "stupid people in the US" remark — made after a reporter cornered him over his boss Donald Trump's controversial "hellhole" jibe at India.
However, Rubio's seeming bid at damage control quickly snowballed into a social media storm, ironic enough for even the US State Department to quietly delete the post. But by then, social media had already latched onto the obvious question. Who exactly was Rubio calling 'stupid people'? Did he, even unintentionally, end up talking about his own boss?
'STUPID PEOPLE WHO MAKE DUMB REMARKS'
To get to the answer, we need to look at what transpired during the press conference on May 24.
With External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar by his side, Rubio was asked about the alleged endorsement of anti-India and racist remarks coming from the US. It was apparently a reference to Trump's endorsement of an American podcaster's remarks labelling India a "hellhole".
Rubio was caught off guard. He seemingly forgot about his own boss's last month's vitriol.
"Who made those comments? Which ones?" Rubio asked. The reporter played coy, without directly naming Trump. He said the comments were "pretty well known" and were also endorsed.
Rubio may or may not have got the hint. Call it brain fade or admirable bluntness, Rubio's answer was seen by many on social media as an unintended swipe at Trump.
"I am sure that there are people who have made comments online, and in other places, because every country in the world has stupid people," Rubio said.
"I am sure there are stupid people here. There are stupid people in the United States who make dumb comments all the time," he further said.
The reporter later specified that his question was regarding Trump's "hellhole" post.
Last month, Trump posted a transcript from a right-wing podcast in which the host, Michael Savage, slammed the US constitutional right to citizenship for everyone born in the country.
Accusing India and China of abusing the privilege, Savage referred to the countries as "hellhole" places. He further said that immigrants from India had not "integrated" into the US as "European Americans" had.
Without naming Trump, India, in a rare rebuke for the White House, called the remarks "uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste".
Trump's "hellhole" post came amid fluctuating ties between Delhi and Washington. In fact, Rubio's visit to India is being seen by experts as the US's bid to defuse tensions after Trump's aggressive actions in the past year against India.
WHOM DID RUBIO REFER TO AS 'STUPID'?
While it is not known whom Rubio was referring to as "stupid", critics were quick to point out that the top US official — whether inadvertently or subconsciously — appeared to indirectly characterise Trump's comments as "dumb". It could also have been intended for podcaster Michael Savage.
But considering past tensions between Rubio and Trump, the internet was quick to conclude that it was an unintended swipe at the US President.
The US State Department also shared Rubio's remarks on X. However, as the controversy blew up, it quietly deleted the post. Perhaps it realised that Rubio might have just called his boss stupid.
"The State Department initially posted the exchange online, but later removed it after people pointed out that Rubio's answer appeared to indirectly characterise Trump's comments as dumb," tweeted US political commentator Ed Krassenstein.
Even the Iran consulate in Hyderabad couldn't stop itself from taking a jab. "US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Trump stupid over the press conference," it tweeted. It also reposted a comment by a user, "Marco Rubio's first correct statement".
The controversy, however, didn't end there. The shadow of Trump's "hellhole" remark continued to dog Rubio on Monday as well.
An American journalist pressed Rubio on the issue, bluntly telling him that the reporter was specifically referring to Trump's comment against Indians. It was a curveball Rubio couldn't avoid, but he did manage to dodge it.
"I don't know who he was talking about. I figured, I assumed that he was talking about people posting stuff online," Rubio said.
He then took a pause, perhaps gauging the absurdity of what had transpired after his "stupid" remark. Praise for Trump followed.
"I wouldn't be here if the President didn't want me to be here. He wouldn't have sent someone like Sergio (Gor) to be our ambassador, someone who's very close to the President," Rubio said.
It seemed like damage control. But only Rubio would know deep down for whom the "stupid" remark was intended.
