Donald Trump’s trusted aide Sergio Gor is poised to take charge as the next US ambassador to India but his limited diplomatic experience has left observers questioning if he is the right person at a critical moment in bilateral relations.
The 38-year-old will also oversee Washington’s dealings with South and Central Asia, a move that is under scanner as India and Pakistan share a tense relationship.
“The special envoy’s additional designation will likely create some challenges, at least in India. India typically prefers not to be ‘hyphenated’ with Pakistan,” said Alyssa Ayres of the Council of Foreign Relations to BBC.
Lawrence Haas, a former senior White House official and senior fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council warned that the appointment may be viewed in India as “a slap in the face” and further evidence that the administration does not prioritise the relationship.
India faced a similar situation in 2009 when the Obama administration reportedly considered naming Richard Holbrooke as envoy to Pakistan, Afghanistan and India.
New Delhi lobbied against the decision, resulting in Holbrooke overseeing only Pakistan and Afghanistan.
India-US relations are at its lowest ebb now.
Trump has repeatedly claimed credit for brokering an end to a recent four-day conflict between India and Pakistan, a claim India rejected outright, insisting that no external power was involved in the ceasefire.
His administration has also pressed New Delhi hard in trade talks, seeking wider access to dairy and farming sectors India has sought to protect.
Bill Drexel of the Hudson Institute’s Center for Strategy and American Statecraft said Gor’s closeness to Trump could help New Delhi bypass bureaucratic hurdles.
“But there may be a steep learning curve given his [Gor’s] limited diplomatic and regional experience,” Drexel said to BBC.
Ayres also noted that Gor’s relationship with Trump could be an asset in breaking policy deadlocks.
Announcing the appointment on August 22, Trump described Gor as a “great friend” and someone he could “fully trust” to deliver on his agenda.
“A great friend, who has been at my side for many years…for the most populous Region in the World, it is important that I have someone I can fully trust to deliver on my Agenda and help us, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Gor is widely seen as a trusted Trump loyalist. He is close to the Trump family, including Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner and Donald Trump Jr. Kushner has described him as “easygoing” and “trusted.”
Former congressman Matt Gaetz once highlighted Gor’s fun-loving side, recalling that he DJed at MAGA parties in Palm Beach during Trump’s post-presidency years.
Gor’s reputation came under scrutiny in June when Elon Musk branded him a “snake” after The New York Post reported that he had not filed paperwork for his own permanent security clearance.
The White House later said Gor held an active clearance and was “fully compliant” with requirements.
Born in 1986 in Uzbekistan, then part of the Soviet Union, Gor spent much of his childhood in Malta before moving to the United States at the age of 12. He initially went by his birth name Gorokhovsky, which he later shortened to Gor.
His political career began in 2008 as a junior staffer at the Republican National Committee, where one of his tasks included dressing in a squirrel costume to highlight Barack Obama’s alleged ties to a group accused by Republicans of voter fraud.
After a stint at Fox News, Gor worked with various Republican politicians before joining Trump’s fundraising team in 2020.
In 2021, he co-founded Winning Team Publishing with Donald Trump Jr., releasing multiple Trump books, including the photobook Save America. Since 2022, Gor has owned a home in Florida near Mar-a-Lago, where he is a regular visitor.
