Trump announces Soviet-born India envoy

Sergio Gor’s nomination comes amid strained ties, with Washington threatening tariffs over New Delhi buying Russian oil

US President Donald Trump has announced the appointment of a new ambassador to India and special envoy for South and Central Asian affairs.

Sergio Gor, who originates from the former Soviet republic of Uzbekistan, has served the Trump administration as Director of Presidential Personnel, playing a critical role in recruitment, and is regarded as one of the president’s most trusted advisers.

Announcing the move on social media, Trump described Gor as a “great friend” and longtime ally, praising his loyalty and work within the administration. “Sergio’s role as Director of Presidential Personnel has been essential to delivering on the unprecedented Mandate that we received from the American People,” he wrote on Friday. “For the most populous Region in the World, it is important that I have someone I can fully trust to deliver on my Agenda and help us, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.”

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Gor’s nomination comes amid strained ties between Washington and New Delhi, with Trump threatening sweeping tariffs on Indian goods and additional penalties over India’s purchases of Russian oil. A person familiar with the matter told Politico the appointment is meant as “a powerful signal to the Modi government” that negotiations should be serious and that messages “come from the president.” 

Born in 1986 in Tashkent as Sergey Gorokhovsky, Gor spent part of his childhood in Malta before moving to the United States in 1999. He attended high school in Los Angeles and later studied at George Washington University in Washington, where he became active in conservative politics. He went on to build a career in Republican circles before rising to Trump’s inner circle.

According to the Times of India, the announcement was met with a “muted response,” with External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar saying only that he had “read about it.” Following the announcement, Gor said he was “beyond grateful” to Trump for “his incredible trust and confidence.” ”Nothing has made me prouder than to serve the American people through the GREAT work of this Administration,” he wrote on X.