As Diwali illuminates homes across the U.S., with California recognizing it as a statewide holiday, a wave of vitriol from the MAGA faction has cast a shadow over the Festival of Lights. While President Donald Trump lit diyas in the Oval Office alongside Indian-American leaders like FBI Director Kash Patel, far-right voices on social media unleashed hateful rhetoric, denouncing the Hindu celebration as "worship of demonic false gods" and demanding celebrants "get out" of America. This clash between official inclusivity and grassroots bigotry reveals a fractured Republican base grappling with cultural diversity.
Trump’s Tuesday ceremony, attended by Patel and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, a practicing Hindu, celebrated Diwali’s message of light triumphing over darkness. Joined by Indian-American business leaders, Trump praised the festival as a symbol of hope and hailed India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “great friend” while discussing trade amid H-1B visa tensions. His administration’s gesture aimed to honor the 4-million-strong Indian-American community, but it provoked a fierce backlash from MAGA hardliners online.
Gabbard, the first Hindu elected to Congress, posted on X: “Sending my heartfelt wishes to everyone celebrating Diwali! May the light of God’s love guide our path.” The response was swift and venomous: “Not My GOD!” with middle-finger emojis, “Diwali is un-American. Move to India,” and “Get out of my country.” Others demanded she “stop sharing such posts” or expressed “disgust” at her faith. Patel faced similar attacks after his Diwali greeting, with comments like “Seek Jesus. He is the way” and “This is America. We don’t celebrate Diwali.” Critics branded the festival a “Hellish celebration” and blamed it for “river pollution,” tying into anti-immigrant sentiments.
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Nikki Haley, a Republican and Christian convert born to Indian Sikh parents, also endured hostility after posting: “Happy Diwali! May light, hope, and goodness guide your path.” Responses included “So India first, Nikki?” and “Repent, pagan.” Haley countered by sharing Trump’s official Diwali message, but the vitriol persisted. A supporter noted the irony: “It’s amusing how much racist hatred is being spewed... by Christians likely of his own party.”
Prominent MAGA figures fueled the fire. Constitutional attorney Bradley Pierce tweeted: “Diwali is the worship of demonic false gods. No Christian should be celebrating it” and warned that celebrating it “provokes the righteous judgement of Christ.” Christian nationalist pastor Joel Webbon attacked Patel directly, writing: “Go back home and worship your sand demons. Get out of my country.” He dismissed Indian-Americans as “Paperwork Americans” unfit to claim national holidays. This echoes Texas Republican Alexander Duncan’s recent claim that a 90-foot Lord Hanuman statue in Texas honors a “false god.”
The hate, spotlighted by journalist Mehdi Hasan as evidence of MAGA’s “Frankenstein” base, contrasts with Diwali’s growing acceptance, including as a school holiday in New York City. As Indian-Americans drive innovation in tech and beyond, the GOP’s internal rift—between Trump’s diplomatic outreach and his supporters’ intolerance—raises urgent questions about inclusivity in a diversifying nation.
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