NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
NEW DELHI, June 14, 2026 — A U.S. Embassy promotional campaign featuring President Donald Trump on auto-rickshaws in India’s capital has encountered public backlash after reports emerged that three Indian sailors were killed in a U.S. military strike on a commercial tanker near Oman.
Videos circulating on social media on Sunday showed several Delhi auto-rickshaw drivers removing or tearing down posters bearing Trump’s image and pro-America messages from their vehicles. The posters had been installed as part of the U.S. Embassy’s “America 250” outreach campaign celebrating the 250th anniversary of American independence.
According to media reports, some drivers expressed anger over the deaths of the Indian sailors and said they no longer wished to display the banners. The incident has drawn widespread attention online and in Indian media.
The controversy follows a U.S. strike on the tanker MT Settebello in the Gulf of Oman. U.S. Central Command said the vessel was targeted after allegedly failing to comply with instructions from American forces enforcing a blockade related to the ongoing Iran conflict. Three Indian crew members were killed in the strike.
The Indian government has formally protested the incident, summoning the U.S. chargé d’affaires and expressing concern over the use of lethal force against civilian shipping. India described such actions as unacceptable and harmful to maritime safety and international commerce.
The auto-rickshaw campaign itself had attracted attention when it was launched earlier this year. Roughly 100 Delhi auto-rickshaws were fitted with large images of Trump, the Statue of Liberty, and slogans celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. The U.S. Embassy had described the initiative as part of a broader effort to promote people-to-people ties between the two countries.
As of Sunday, neither the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi nor Indian authorities had issued statements specifically addressing the removal of the posters. However, the images of drivers tearing down the banners have become a visible symbol of the anger and grief that followed the deaths of the Indian sailors.
Breaking: Auto drivers in India destroy banners with Donald Trump’s face that were set up to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary
— Shashank Mattoo (@MattooShashank) June 13, 2026
Popular outrage grows after 3 Indian sailors were killed by U.S. navy strikes pic.twitter.com/QuhIBYM0fZ
