When Donald Trump wanted to play 'matchmaker' for PM Narendra Modi

NEW DELHI: United States President Donald Trump, who is known for his mood swings and making outlandish statements, had once jokingly said that he could play matchmaker for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

According to the 'Politico' magazine, the US President made these remarks after coming to know from his staffers that the Indian Prime Minister was long separated from his wife.

When the Trump's staffers told him that PM Modi would not be bringing his wife along to the meeting at the White House, Trump reportedly joked, "Ah, I think I can set him up with somebody."

The report cited "two people who briefed Trump on the meeting."

Defending Trump, White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said during an interaction with the press that the US President has developed "strong relationships" with "America's closest allies," which allow for "candid conversations."

The 67-year-old Prime Minister is married to Jashodaben, a retired teacher. Though the couple never divorced, the two have been living separately for long. 

PM Modi was married to Jashodaben when they were very young as part of the caste tradition in those days. The PM later became a full-time RSS ideologue and left his wife and village. 

Interestingly, the PM never officially acknowledged Jashodaben's existence until he declared his candidacy in 2014 Lok Sabha elections.  

Jashodaben, 66, reportedly lives with her family in a village in PM Modi's home state of Gujarat.

The article also focussed on the "diplomatic faux-pas" committed by Trump during his discussions with foreign leaders over a wide range of issues.

The US President often allegedly displayed lack of telephone etiquette, "mispronounced" and had "awkward meetings," it said.

Trump also displayed a lack of familiarity with South Asia, the article added.

Citing one such incident, the article said Trump, while referring to a map of South Asia, mispronounced Nepal as "nipple" and addressed Bhutan as ''button."

This was just ahead of his meeting with PM Modi at the White House last year. 

The report, quoting two unnamed sources, said that Trump also looked confused that the two countries - which border India - even existed.

"He didn't know what those were. He thought it was all part of India," the article quoted a source as saying. 

"He was like, 'What is this stuff in between and these other countries?'"

A Washington Post report earlier claimed that the US President often affects an Indian accent and imitates the Indian leader.

Reports about Trump claiming to play a matchmaker to the Indian leader comes at a time when the Modi government is awaiting a response from the White House over its invitation to the US President to be the chief guest at the Republic Day parade on January 26 next year.