Trump Greets His Largest Crowd Ever

100K packed stadium during India visit
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Feb 24, 2020 4:34 AM CST
Updated Feb 24, 2020 6:49 AM CST
Trump Greets His Largest Crowd Ever
Indians wear masks of President Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and cheer as they attend the Namaste Trump event at Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020.   (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Basking in adulation from a massive, colorful crowd, President Trump and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi lavished each other with praise Monday in a reaffirmation of US-India ties as the subcontinent poured on the pageantry. More than 100,000 people packed into the world's largest cricket stadium in Modi's home state to give Trump the biggest rally crowd of his political career. Thousands lined his motorcade route, shy of the up to 10 million that Trump speculated would be on hand. The event was the pinnacle of the day's enviable trio of presidential photo-ops, sandwiched between Trump visits to Gandhi's former home and a planned tour of the Taj Mahal, the AP reports.

Nearly everyone in the newly constructed stadium in Ahmedabad in western India sported a white cap with the name of the event, "Namaste, Trump" or "Welcome, Trump," and roared for the introductions of both leaders. Embarking on a whirlwind 36-hour visit, Trump opened his speech by declaring that he had traveled 8,000 miles to deliver the message that "America loves India, America respects India, and America will always be faithful and loyal friends to the Indian people." The boisterous scene featured musicians on camels and a musical medley of Bollywood hits and Trump's campaign rally playlist, including numerous Elton John songs that seemed to puzzle most of the crowd. The president will conclude his visit to India on Tuesday with a day in the capital, New Delhi.

(More India stories.)

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