‘Sympathy Factor for Trump Has Disappeared, Women Backing Harris on Abortion’: Top India-US

Donald Trump no longer has the sympathy factor that he had after the assassination attempt on him, and it is now an even fight between Kamala Harris and Trump, with women backing Harris, a top India-US Expert, Dr Mukesh Aghi, has told CNN-News18.

“The chances of the Democrats have brightened with Kamala Harris, while Donald Trump had a big lead earlier when Joe Biden was pitted against him,” Aghi, president and CEO of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum, told CNN-News18 in New York.

He said people were now “excited” about Harris and women voters were strongly supporting her on the key issue of abortion. Aghi also cited the high amount that Harris was generating as funds out of donations to say it was now an even fight between Trump and her.

“There was a sympathy factor for Trump earlier after the assassination attempt but that has now disappeared,” Aghi said, referring to the incident in July.

He added that data shows that the elections are very close and certain swing states and districts would make the difference. “There are four million young voters who will vote for the first time… there are the Swifties (Taylor Swift fans) too. This and the mid-West swing states will decide the polls,” Aghi said.

Both Trump & Harris good for India

Aghi, however, said both Trump and Harris would be good for India as India-US relations will continue in a positive direction irrespective of who comes to power.

“Trump’s approach is transactional while Kamala would have a more structured approach. There are positives and negatives associated with both approaches,” Aghi said.

He also said China will never accept India as an equal partner, and India cannot deal with the might of China on its own. “India needs a friend to take on China, and that is where the US comes in,” Aghi said.

He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US was a “transformative one” and US is committed to making India a manufacturing industrial base. The Biden administration has been committed to drive the process of technology transfer, he added.

“Apple today will be manufacturing 25 per cent of iPhone 16 in India… the revenue of Apple in India has crossed $5 billion. Three years ago, Apple was not manufacturing anything in India,” Aghi said, noting that India will continue to grow at 7-8 per cent every year.

Aghi said PM Modi was also emerging as a peace-maker on the global level. “It is an economically rising India asserting itself globally,” he said.