When US President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris were sworn in on January 20, 2021;
there were already more than 20 Indian Americans, either appointed or nominated, in key positions
in their transit team and administration. Within a year the number had crossed 130.
In fact, Impact, a leading Indian American advocacy and political action committee, had launched a
‘brown book’ initiative to put together resumes of talented Indian Americans for the Biden transition
team and Capitol Hill recruiters. The effort was designed to boost the number of Indian American
staffers in US government and reduce the barriers to access that candidates of colour often faced in
landing jobs in politics.
In contrast, US President-elect Donald Trump has so far named only four Indian Americans for key
positions in his team – Vivek Ramaswamy, chair of the proposed department of government
efficiency; Jay Bhattacharya, head of National Institute of Health; Harmeet Dhillon, assistant
attorney general for civil rights and Kash Patel, director FBI.
While the small number is undoubtedly disappointing for the 4.7 million-strong, ‘model minority’
desi community; the earlier Trump presidency, between 2017 and 2021, had several Indian
Americans in key positions including Nikki Haley as United States Ambassador to the United Nations.
However, in view of the fact that, traditionally, the broader political leanings of the community has
been towards the Democratic Party, many are not surprised that there are not many Indian
Americans named for significant roles yet by President Elect Trump.
“Approximately 70-75% of Indian Americans align with the Democratic Party, while only about 25-30% lean towards the Republican Party and this is a factor in evaluating the representation of Indian Americans in a potential Trump administration versus their presence in the current Biden administration,” feels Robinder Sachdev, president of Delhi based think tank, Imagindia Institute, and one of the founders of US India Political Action Committee, a bipartisan non-profit organisation in the US. He adds that, as a result, there are significantly more influential Indian American leaders within liberal, Democratic circles compared to conservative, Republican circles.
However, many prominent members of the Indian American community are hopeful that in the
coming weeks and months, Team Trump will expand and have a larger presence of Indian
Americans. “As of December 2024, the Biden administration has appointed over 130 Indian
Americans to key positions. The Trump administration, too, is poised to make more strategic
appointments from the Indian American community, with the final tally likely to rival that of the
Biden administration in significance,” says Rishi Kumar, a Silicon Valley tech executive and author
and executive board member of the California Democratic Party.
He adds that for Indian Americans, it is the quality, prominence, and impact of their leaders that matter more than sheer numbers. “Leaders like Ramaswamy, Patel and Bhattacharya, as well as Usha Chilukuri Vance as the second lady would, perhaps, be the voice of Indian Americans. These individuals transcend mere representation, showcasing the power of innovation, thought leadership, and societal impact,” Kumar says.
Dr Sampat Shivangi, a prominent Republican who has been elected as a national delegate of the
party six times, and is known to be close to Trump; has already been approached by the President
Elect’s transition team to get on board the new administration in a formal role. “I have been approached with offers of US ambassador posts in some important countries. However, I have not accepted any of them so far and currently prefer to wait and watch,” Shivangi, who plans to attend the inauguration of Trump as President on January 20, 2025, told the Times of India, in an exclusive interview.
He added that he has been very busy with personal philanthropic work in India and is preparing for the inauguration of Dr Sampat Kumar S Shivangi Cancer Hospital in Belagavi, Karnataka, later this month and didn’t want to make any big commitments in Washington DC with the Trump administration. “I’m now in my 80s, and don’t want to take on anything that will take me away from my home for too long. The hospital project in India, however, is my way of giving back to my country of origin and I have worked hard on it for the past three years,” he said.
Jiten Agarwal, a prominent Indian American business and community leader, who had hosted fund-
raising receptions for Trump and Vice-President Elect J.D. Vance in Houston, Texas, feels that the
absence of too many Indian Americans in significant roles in the new Trump team reflects the fact
that not many from the community supported Trump, and other Republican senatorial and
congressional candidates, in a meaningful and significant way during the elections earlier this year.
“There were not many; but I have been working tirelessly on increasing the civic engagement among
Indian Americans and encouraging them to come forward, vote, support financially, and participate
in the political process so that the community has a say in policy making,” he said.
The absence of Haley, who was an important member of the last Trump administration, but has now
been dropped after she challenged the President Elect in the Republican primaries, is being seen as a
blow for the Indian American community. However, most are not surprised. “Haley hurt herself.
When she left her position as UN Ambassador, she said that she will support Trump on whatever he
did. But the language that she used at the primary debates was read as clear condemnation and
open opposition of Trump,” says Republican supporter A.D. Amar, professor of management at the
Stillman School of Business, Seton Hall University in New Jersey.
Agarwal, who supported Haley during her campaign for the presidential primary, feels that though
the former South Carolina Governor has not yet been picked by Trump for his team, all doors for a
future role for her in the Republican administration have not been completely shut. “She ran against
Trump in the Republican primaries and there seemed to be some friction in their respective
campaigns which is quite natural. But Trump invited Haley to speak at the Republican National
Convention and she said that though she and Trump may not necessarily agree on everything but
they have alignment on several policies. She endorsed Trump stating he is the most suitable
candidate for 2024.”
The Indian American names picked by Trump so far, have also faced controversies. “Many Indian
Americans aligned with the Democratic Party, view Patel, the Trump pick to lead the FBI, as a
controversial choice due to his past actions and associations. Similarly, Dr Bhattacharya, nominated
to lead the NIH, has been a divisive figure, particularly because of his stance on Covid pandemic
policies, which sparked significant debate. Dhillon has consistently championed conservative causes
through her legal work. Her prominent Sikh identity is well-recognised, and her appointment raises
the possibility that she may focus on issues pertinent to the Sikh community in the US, some of
whom hold grievances against India,” says Sachdev. But he also feels that a clearer picture of the
total number of Indian Americans appointed by President Trump will likely emerge by mid-2025, as
the administration continues to fill key positions.
“There will likely be more additions to the Trump administration from the Indian American community. It’s important to note that a new president appoints approximately 4,000 political appointees, with about 1,200 requiring Senate confirmation. These roles span a wide range of positions, including Cabinet secretaries, agency heads, deputy and assistant secretaries, and ambassadors,” he said.
So it’s going to be a ‘wait and watch’ to see which influential Indian Americans find a place in Team Trump over the next few months.
Indian Americans who have held important posts in the first Trump presidency