Donald Trump Jr. says he likes poor people in India because they 'smile'

'I know some of the most successful businessmen in the world, and some of them are the most miserable people in the world'

Annie Gowen
Thursday 22 February 2018 14:19 GMT
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Donald Trump Jr attends an event at the Trump Tower in Mumbai, India
Donald Trump Jr attends an event at the Trump Tower in Mumbai, India

Donald Trump Jr, praised India's poor people for their smiles during a visit to the country to promote his family's real estate empire and more than $1bn (£720m) worth of luxury Trump Tower projects in four cities.

"I don't want to be glib but you can see the poorest of the poor and there is still a smile on a face," Mr Trump told US cable channel, CNBC's Indian affiliate. "It is a different spirit than that which you see in other parts of the world, and I think there is something unique about that."

He added: "I know some of the most successful businessmen in the world, and some of them are the most miserable people in the world."

Although India has one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, a rising number of millionaires and a growing market for luxury goods and services, many of its 1.3 billion people still live in grinding poverty.

The country had a per capita income of around £1,200 in 2016.

Mr Trump arrived on his family's private jet for a week of schmoozing and dinners with India's leading business leaders and to wine and dine buyers in the Trump Organization's latest project.

The Trumps have a licensing deal with two Indian developers for two towers outside the capital of New Delhi, where flats range in price from $780,000 (£562,000) to $1.6m (£1.15m). They have private elevators and concierge service.

Full-page glossy newspaper ads trumpeting Mr Trump's arrival also tempted buyers to reserve a flat, paying a booking fee of about $38,000 (£27,000) to "join Mr Donald Trump Jr for a conversation and dinner" on Friday. The buyers' dinner has raised conflict of interest concerns and charges by watchdog groups.

"These ads illustrate the importance of Trump divesting from his business and the danger brought by his failure to divest. Trump's company is literally selling access to the president's son overseas," said Jordan Libowitz, the communications director for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, which is frequently critical of the first family.

Mr Trump will also give a foreign policy speech titled "Reshaping Indo-Pacific Ties: The New Era of Cooperation" on Friday at a global business summit co-sponsored by the Economic Times newspaper, along with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

A State Department spokesman said that Mr Trump's speech was not coordinated with the State Department and that she was not familiar with its contents.

Washington Post

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