FBI Director Kash Patel’s Diwali greeting has sparked a political storm on social media in the United States, drawing both support and severe backlash.
Patel’s brief post on X (formerly Twitter) read: “Happy Diwali — celebrating the Festival of Lights around the world, as good triumphs over evil.”
The message has since gone viral, garnering over six million views, but it quickly became a flashpoint among far-right users, particularly supporters of the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement.
Several users trolled Patel with racist and anti-Hindu remarks. One wrote, “Reject this false religion’s Diwali nonsense.” Another commented, “Not the brightest idea to promote foreign gods in the Christian Nation of America.” A third post bluntly called it “a hellish celebration.”
Amid the hate, a few users came to Patel’s defense. One X user observed, “It’s amusing how much racist hatred is being spewed on Kash by Christians likely of his own party. All this for being unapologetic about his Dharma. There really are two Americas, and the Bill of Rights should be read with a pinch of salt.”
Others expressed appreciation, saying, “Happy Diwali! Keep shining light on all the corruption and evil that exists in America!”
However, some users criticized Patel for his continued support of the Republican Party, which they accused of harboring racist sentiments. “Kash has done everything to support a party that hates him and his religion. They want to make life worse for people who look like him — and he still supports them. What a pathetic person,” one post read.
Patel wasn’t the only U.S. political figure to mark Diwali. US President Donald Trump also hosted a Diwali celebration at the White House on Tuesday, lighting a traditional oil lamp in the Oval Office alongside Indian-American business leaders and community members.
Several other prominent figures, including Republican politician and Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, New York City mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani (filmmaker Mira Nair’s son), and Texas Governor Greg Abbott, also extended Diwali greetings and participated in celebrations.
Patel’s brief post on X (formerly Twitter) read: “Happy Diwali — celebrating the Festival of Lights around the world, as good triumphs over evil.”
The message has since gone viral, garnering over six million views, but it quickly became a flashpoint among far-right users, particularly supporters of the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement.
Several users trolled Patel with racist and anti-Hindu remarks. One wrote, “Reject this false religion’s Diwali nonsense.” Another commented, “Not the brightest idea to promote foreign gods in the Christian Nation of America.” A third post bluntly called it “a hellish celebration.”
Amid the hate, a few users came to Patel’s defense. One X user observed, “It’s amusing how much racist hatred is being spewed on Kash by Christians likely of his own party. All this for being unapologetic about his Dharma. There really are two Americas, and the Bill of Rights should be read with a pinch of salt.”
Others expressed appreciation, saying, “Happy Diwali! Keep shining light on all the corruption and evil that exists in America!”
However, some users criticized Patel for his continued support of the Republican Party, which they accused of harboring racist sentiments. “Kash has done everything to support a party that hates him and his religion. They want to make life worse for people who look like him — and he still supports them. What a pathetic person,” one post read.
Patel wasn’t the only U.S. political figure to mark Diwali. US President Donald Trump also hosted a Diwali celebration at the White House on Tuesday, lighting a traditional oil lamp in the Oval Office alongside Indian-American business leaders and community members.
Several other prominent figures, including Republican politician and Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, New York City mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani (filmmaker Mira Nair’s son), and Texas Governor Greg Abbott, also extended Diwali greetings and participated in celebrations.
