Sergio Gor,38, Rewarded For Loyalty To Trump, Nominated Ambassador To India

India-West News Desk

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Sergio Gor, a longtime aide known for vetting Trump appointees on loyalty and once described by Elon Musk as a “snake,” has been nominated by President Donald Trump as Ambassador to India and simultaneously as Special Envoy for South and Central Asian Affairs.

The dual appointment is unusual, as the ambassador role is typically a full-time posting, especially for a significant country like India. The ambassador’s post in New Delhi has lain vacant for eight months following the departure of Biden-era envoy Eric Garcetti.

But during the time of strained relations between the two nations, Trump emphasized not policy expertise but Gor’s personal loyalty in announcing the nomination, praising him as a trusted confidant who had been at his side through campaigns, publishing ventures, and the staffing of thousands of administration posts.

Gor, 38, currently heads the White House Presidential Personnel Office, where he vetted more than 4,000 appointees based on ideological loyalty. His methods drew attention in 2022 when Musk accused him of sabotaging SpaceX executive Jared Isaacman’s prospects for NASA administrator by highlighting Isaacman’s Democratic donations.

Born in Uzbekistan as Sergio Gorokhovsky, Gor shortened his surname before rising in Republican politics. He co-founded Winning Team Publishing with Donald Trump Jr. in 2021 which focused on printing only books on Trump. He also previously ran a pro-Trump political action committee that focused on donors.

 “For the most populous region in the world, it is important that I have someone I can fully trust to deliver on my agenda,” Trump wrote in his announcement.

Reactions among Trump allies focused on Gor’s proximity to the president rather than his regional expertise. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and FBI Director Kash Patel praised the pick as a demonstration of confidence.

Others were more candid. Politico quoted an adviser saying, that the president is sending a powerful signal to the Modi government by sending an envoy that is very personally close to him and that it was a clear signal that the negotiations need to be serious and that all messages come from him.

Former Trump strategist Steve Bannon noted to Politico that while Gor lacks deep experience in India policy, “he has walk-in privileges to the president” and is one of the few people Trump trusts without reservation.

The nomination will now go to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for review before a full Senate vote. If confirmed, Gor will become the point person for both U.S.-India relations and broader South and Central Asia policy — a consolidation not seen in decades of U.S. diplomacy.