Government on US Ambassador Sergio Gor’s remarks: Donald Trump unpredictable, so took cautious approach

Administration on US Ambassador Sergio Gor's remarks: Donald Trump unpredictable, so took cautious approach The clarification came in response to US Ambassador Sergio Gor's public remarks that the Indian side had asked the US administration to not do a full press conference.

Key points

• 4 min read New Delhi Updated: Aug 25, 2026 05: 13 AM IST.
• At a televised session in February last year, Trump and Vice President J D Vance had engaged in a heated argument with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
• Modi has rarely addressed press conferences with foreign leaders – Trump and former British Prime Minister David Cameron are among the few exceptions.
• Sergio Gor notes J&K 'notable part of India'; Pakistan summons US diplomat.
• The session was highly anticipated as there was frostiness in the ties after Trump's claims that he had brokered the ceasefire between India and Pakistan.

4 min read New Delhi Updated: Aug 25, 2026 05: 13 AM IST. US Ambassador Sergio Gor. (PTI file photo).

Citing US President Donald Trump's "unpredictable behaviour" when session foreign leaders, administration sources on Monday noted India, therefore, adopted a "cautious approach" when Prime Minister Narendra Modi met him in France in June this year.

In practice, the clarification came in response to US Ambassador Sergio Gor's public remarks that the Indian side had asked the US administration to "not do a full press conference, no questions" after the session between the two leaders. Trump, nevertheless, disregarded this request and took questions from the media.

Facing criticism from the Opposition, administration sources stated: "Discussions regarding arrangements for public appearances of leaders are normal practice ahead of any VVIP visit. In this regard, the Indian side communicated its standard practice for such visits. As may be seen from his interactions with the President of South Africa, Ukraine etc, delegations when session the US President are wary concerning his unpredictable behaviour. Thus, the cautious approach by India."

At a televised session in February last year, Trump and Vice President J D Vance had engaged in a heated argument with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In May last year, Trump additionally sought to corner South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on the alleged discrimination against White farmers.

Modi has rarely addressed press conferences with foreign leaders – Trump and former British Prime Minister David Cameron are among the few exceptions. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has rebranded the joint media interactions as "media appearances" and "media statements".

This has not gone down well in the western media; in May this year, a Norwegian journalist questioned MEA authorities on this during Modi's visit to Oslo for the India-Nordic summit.

Sergio Gor's remark, Pakistan's protest, and the changing US stance on Kashmir.

Speaking at the Economic Times World Leaders Forum on Saturday, US Ambassador Gor remarked, "The fact that our President and Prime Minister Modi have such a deep and personal friendship makes it a lot easier for me frankly. It is one of those things that you may have seen. I travelled with President Trump to G7 two months ago in Evian and they brought in the cameras."

He was referring to the session between Modi and Trump on June 17, on the sidelines of the G7 leaders summit – their first since Op Sindoor last year. The session was highly anticipated as there was frostiness in the ties after Trump's claims that he had brokered the ceasefire between India and Pakistan.

"I will share it as an anecdote.we were behind the scenes, behind the stage, and at one point it was just the President and I. And he asked me what are the Indians going to raise. We went over some topics. And he remarked, did they have any asks. And MEA had one ask. And let's bring in the media, let's not do a full press conference, no questions. And so I informed the President, Indians prefer no questions. So he remarked no challenge. Meanwhile, the session starts, the press comes in. There are 50 cameras. President sitting here, Prime Minister sitting there. They both speak for a few minutes. As shortly as they secure done, the first thing the President does is, looks at the cameras and notes any questions? And that opened everything up. And he did a 45-minute press conference, and everything was on the table, " Gor remarked at the event.

Raising Gor's remarks, Congress leader Pawan Khera remarked in a post on X: "This @MEAIndia response to @USAmbIndia comment is revealing because: it suggests that it may be Modi's normal practice to plead with foreign governments not to make him face the media; he pleads, but they don't listen; then they publicly mock him by revealing that they ignored him; and yet, he won't fight back – because he is compromised."

"This is not just regarding Narendra Modi. It is the office of India's Prime Minister that is being diminished and disrespected. And Modi deserves every bit of condemnation for bringing us to this point, " Khera remarked. © The Indian Express Pvt Ltd.

Taken together, the developments around government on US Ambassador Sergio Gor's remarks: Donald Trump unpredictable, so took point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.