Trump and Modi’s broken bromance

Today, Explained

Vox

Politics, Daily News, News

4.3 • 10.3K Ratings

🗓️ 4 September 2025

⏱️ 28 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

India’s prime minister was so tight with Donald Trump that they held hands during public appearances. But the two strongmen are on the outs, and Narendra Modi has found a new hand to hold. This episode was produced by Devan Schwartz and Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by David Tatascriore, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds the hand of Russian President Vladimir Putin at a summit in China. Photo by Suo Takekuma - Pool/Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Just under six years ago, then President Donald Trump hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi
0:05.8	at a big old rally in Houston.
0:09.7	Prime Minister Modi and I have come to Houston to celebrate everything that unites America
0:15.1	and India.
0:16.0	Maybe the most memorable thing about the event, at least for me personally, was the two world
0:20.2	leaders holding hands as they walked the rally floor.
0:23.8	Look at those hands. Are they small hands? Fast forward six years, Trump's back in charge here and Modi's still in charge there, but the bromance is on the rocks.
0:33.6	I always say tariffs is the most beautiful word to me in the dictionary. And Maldi is hanging out with Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin this week.
0:42.3	And no, say it ain't so.
0:45.3	He's holding hands with...
0:47.3	Vladimir!
0:50.3	Holding hands at one point, Vladimir Putin and Narendra Modi were...
0:53.3	Is the President of the United States going to be okay on today explained from Vox?
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	...

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