US President Donald Trump has nominated his close political aide Sergio Gor as the next United States Ambassador to India, a move that comes at a time of rising trade tensions and strategic realignments in South Asia. However, the appointment has brought renewed focus on Gor's long-standing feud with billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, who previously called him a "snake" on social media.

Musk vs Sergio Gor

The tense relationship between Musk and Gor can be traced back to the Trump transition days in 2016. Musk allegedly expressed doubts over Gor’s staffing recommendations and even referred to him as “sleazy” during internal meetings. The feud intensified when Gor, White House Presidential Personnel Office head, allegedly flagged donations to Democrats by Jared Isaacman, Musk’s preferred nominee for NASA chief. The revelation led Trump to withdraw Isaacman’s nomination on Musk’s last day in office, an episode that widened the rift.

Musk publicly fueled the feud in June 2025, posting on X (previously Twitter), "He's a snake," referring to Gor. The CEO of Tesla was responding to news that Gor had not submitted important security clearance forms even as he oversaw thousands of staff appointments within the Trump administration. 

Announcing Gor’s new assignment, Trump hailed him as "a great friend" and "one of the most trusted aides" in his inner circle. “Sergio worked on my historic campaigns, published my best-selling books, and helped staff nearly 4,000 officials across federal departments,” Trump said in a statement on Truth Social. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also endorsed the appointment, calling Gor “an excellent representative of America in one of the most important relationships our nation has in the world.”

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If confirmed by the Senate, Gor will succeed Eric Garcetti as Washington's envoy to New Delhi. The posting comes at a crucial moment in US-India relations, with trade disputes, Russian oil imports, and strategic competition with China on the agenda. Trump has threatened to pressure New Delhi on crude oil imports from Moscow and proposed mediation on India-Pakistan relations, a role habitually spurned by New Delhi.

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Though Gor had no foreign policy experience, Gor’s appointment underscores Trump’s preference for loyalty in high-stakes diplomatic roles. For India, his arrival could mark the beginning of a new phase in bilateral ties, balancing cooperation in technology and defense with differences on global geopolitics.