US Hindu group seeks Navarro’s ouster over ‘Brahmins profiteering’ remarks

A Hindu advocacy group in the US, the American Hindus Against Defamation (AHAD), a part of the larger advocacy organisation HinduPact, has demanded that White House trade adviser Peter Navarro be fired from President Donald Trump’s team for his “Brahmins profiting at the expense of Indians” remark, describing it as “deeply inappropriate and Hinduphobic”.

The group also slammed Navarro for his X post on August 29 showing a photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi praying in saffron robes. The American Hindus Against Defamation, in a statement on Tuesday (September 2), termed Navarro's comments not only as “a cultural violation” but also a “reckless provocation” against the Hindu community.

‘Fire Peter Navarro’

“HinduPACT's American Hindus Against Defamation (AHAD) today issued a decisive call for the President of the United States to dismiss Peter Navarro from his position as Director of the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy, following his deeply inappropriate and Hinduphobic reference to caste and his portrayal of India's Prime Minister in a sacred act of Hindu prayer,” stated the release.

“Navarro's rhetoric constitutes not only a cultural violation but also a reckless provocation that endangers the dignity of over a billion Hindus and threatens the foundational relationship between the two largest democracies,” it added.

Also Read: Trump aide Peter Navarro claims India's 'Brahmins profiteering' from Russian oil trade

‘Colonial era trope’

It further alleged that Navarro's “Brahmin’s profiteering” remark was not a critique but a “colonial era trope” to divide Hindus and depict India as totally unjust.

“Navarro's comment, accusing ‘Brahmins profiting at the expense of the Indian people,’ is not a critique; it's a colonial-era trope recycled to divide Hindu society and depict India as inherently unjust. Using caste rhetoric to pressure a democratic ally is beneath the diplomatic dignity of the United States,” it added.

Also Read: Peter Navarro slams India-Russia ties: ‘Modi needs to stand with US, not Russia’

‘Weaponised Hinduphobia’

Ajay Shah, Executive Chair of HinduPACT, slammed Navarro, saying that such actions cannot be regarded as foreign policy and were instead “weaponised Hinduphobia.”

"Dividing Hindus through colonial scripts doesn't build relationships. It destroys them. People like Navarro have no place in American political life,” added Shah.

“Navarro also circulated an image of India's Prime Minister meditating in saffron robes; a sacred Hindu practice rooted in dharma. The implication was clear: ridicule Hindu spirituality while pushing economic pressure,” stated the release.

Also Read: Who is Peter Navarro? Why is he angry with India, and rest of the world?

What Navarro said

Earlier, Navarro had said "Brahmin elites were profiteering at the expense of ordinary Indian citizens" through the laundering of Russian oil. He defended Trump's 50% tariffs on Indian goods, linking them to New Delhi's continued energy trade with Moscow.

In a Fox News interview, Navarro criticised PM Modi’s relationships with Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping as destabilising the global order. He alleged that refined Russian oil exported by India helps fund Ukraine's war, calling India the "maharaja of tariffs" with the world's highest tariff rates.

India’s ‘Western hypocrisy’ jab

Navarro's comments coincided with Modi's first visit to China in seven years for the SCO summit, where he met both Putin and Xi Jinping. The advisor previously called the Ukraine conflict "Modi's war" and claimed India's oil trade funnels money into "Putin's war chest."

India responded by highlighting Western "hypocrisy," noting that the US and EU continue purchasing Russian energy while criticising India. Indian officials emphasised that Europe still buys Russian gas and America imports Russian uranium, arguing that India acted responsibly within global frameworks to prevent price escalation.