Donald Trump is attempting to court Indian-American voters with a new TV ad released Wednesday, in which he takes a stab at speaking in Hindi.
The ad opens with Trump wishing a “Happy Diwali,” the festival of lights, which takes place Sunday. It uses footage from a Republican Hindu Coalition event Trump attended with Bollywood stars, according to BuzzFeed News, in which he made a speech saying that in him Hindus would have a “friend” in the White House.
As Trump vows to “defeat radical Islamic terrorism,” an image from a 2008 terrorist attack in Mumbai flashes on the screen. Trump assures the crowd he will work with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi before the ad shows him attempt to say a phrase in Hindi.
“Ab ki baar Trump sarkar,” Trump says in the ad, which translates it to “This time Trump government.”
Indian-American businessman Shalli Kumar, who helped Trump with the ad, told BuzzFeed News that Trump attempted the phrase 15 times, but had more success with it than other leaders like former British prime minister David Cameron.
Kumar did not disclose the ad buy amount to BuzzFeed News or in a release announcing the ad, but said it is expected to run 20 times a day on Zee TV, TV Asia, TV Nine, TV Five and more networks. Trump’s campaign has not officially announced the ad and it does not appear on Trump’s YouTube page.
Watch below:
