Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs – everybody celebrates Diwali but Hindus, according to US President Donald Trump’s initial Diwali tweet on 14 November. Though he included Hindus in his next tweet 20 minutes later, Twitter poured scorn nonetheless.
Trump had tweeted, “Today, we gathered for Diwali, a holiday observed by Buddhists, Sikhs and Jains throughout the United States.”
India’s Ambassador to the United States Navtej Sarna was present at the celebrations.
Trump attempted to make amends for the faux pas a few minutes later, tweeting “It was my great honor to host a celebration of Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights in the Roosevelt Room at the White House.”
But it was too late for Twitter, which descended on the misstep.
Annie Gowen of the Washington Post, previously its India bureau chief, called the oversight an “embarrassment”.
Another journalist questioned whether the US President had been briefed.
As India actually celebrated Diwali a week earlier on 7 November, another Twitter user mocked the US President for his tardiness.
The US President’s first tweet went up with a malfunctioning link. When users pointed out that he had missed Hindus in the tweet, it was deleted and reposted with a functioning link... but still missing Hindus.
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