When US President Donald Trump was busted on Day One of his presidency for wildly exaggerating the number of people attending his inauguration with photoshopped images, everyone but his supporters got a sense of his relationship with numbers.
Three years later, as he heads for his first official visit to India, Twitter users have called out the conservative leader for once again taking liberties with his facts.
Speaking to journalists days before the trip in Washington, Mr Trump bragged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promised him 7 million people between the airport and his reception event in Ahmedabad.
"We're not treated very well by India, but I happen to like Prime Minister Modi a lot. And he told me we'll have 7 million people between the airport and the event," Mr Trump said, referring to a roadshow ahead of a "Namaste Trump" rally in Ahmedabad, the main city in Gujarat where he will begin the trip.
#WATCH US President Donald Trump in Washington on his visit to India: I happen to like PM Modi a lot. He told me we will have 7 million people between the airport and the event. It's going to be the largest stadium in the world. It's going to be very exciting. pic.twitter.com/FdusHCInJ9
— ANI (@ANI) February 19, 2020
The bombastic claim, though not unusual for Donald Trump, quickly sparked a wave of sarcasm and scepticism on Twitter. For one, many noted that Ahmedabad's population in the last 2011 census was 55 lakh or 5.5 million and is estimated to be 86 lakh or 8.6 million in 2020. Mr Trump's claim would been 80 per cent of the city's population will line up for him.
Modi is going to regret making that random “7 million people” promise to Trump. He's hung up on it like a baby.
— Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) February 19, 2020
I just hope POTUS doesn't sulk & impose tariffs/call off his visit when he realizes it was all a “jumla”. https://t.co/QfFax4HY0d
Will Ahmedabad declare a holiday so that 7 million out of 8.8 million can line the roads for Trump?
— Cumm-Bhakt (@DrNo771) February 19, 2020
Fresh from Impeachment saga, Trump comes to Ahmedabad for a respite, where his friend Modi has promised him 7 Million people (more than population of Ahmedabad) to greet him on the roads! Govt spent crores of our money on flowers & wall to keep poverty out of his sight!
— Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) February 19, 2020
Showmen! https://t.co/Y2VFZcLsVm
Howdy, President! FYI -
— Saral Patel (@SaralPatel) February 19, 2020
Total population of Ahmedabad is 55 Lakhs. That's 5.5 million.
It seems one fool managed to fool another fool. #NamasteTrump #KemChoTrump https://t.co/aieaVLMEZY
To those pointing out that 7 million > Ahmedabad population, it really doesn't matter. BJP will get people from other states, like how they fill their rallies. In any case, no matter the number of people, pretty sure both Modi & Trump will claim 7 million only. ????#KemChhoTrump
— Ruchira Chaturvedi (@RuchiraC) February 19, 2020
Trump: Modi has promised there will be 7 million Indians waiting to welcome me in Ahmadabad.
— Aisi Taisi Democracy (@AisiTaisiDemo) February 19, 2020
Amit Shah: Nahin Trump bhai aapne galat suna, 7 million nahin 7 MILLION TON Indians honge wahaan.
Trump think's really 7 million people will welcome him, even voters thought they will get 15 lakh,
— kamaal ka launda (@beingtrolll) February 19, 2020
Lekim ye bas KEHNE KA TRAIKA HAI,
JUMLA HAI#TrumpIndiaVisit
That's the entire combined population of A'bad & G'Nagar, I guess... At best, he must have told him of a number like 7 lakh...
— Pankaj Mohan (@proaudience) February 19, 2020
'And he told me we'll have 7 million people between the airport and the event,” Trump said...'https://t.co/DokmMywaWs
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— sexy camel ???? (@yunhoppar) February 19, 2020
"Donald Trump expects '7 million' to greet him on his trip to India" https://t.co/AfesEbkCXN
Everybody knows Trump twisting statement of world leaders each time. Modi ji expressed that 7 million citizen of ahmedabad awaiting to welcome you in city. He is twisting statement according to his choice.
— Yogesh Kumar (Yogi) (@Mr_Deswal7) February 19, 2020
Mr Trump will land in India on Monday for a two-day trip that has seen the Indian government pull out all the stops, including a reception in the just-completed world's largest cricket stadium that the US President will get to open.
Authorities in Ahmedabad told news agency Reuters that they expect to spend around Rs 85 crore on preparations for the visit that is likely to last around three hours, including a 400-metre wall along Mr Trump's route to block slums from his view.
In the past, the US President's promiscuous relationship with facts has been called out by no less than India's Foreign Ministry. Last year, after repeated claims by Mr Trump that PM Modi had asked him to help mediate with Pakistan on the Kashmir issue, New Delhi firmly said no such request has been made.
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