Rickshaws in India's capital get Trump makeover

New Delhi’s iconic auto-rickshaws have received a Donald Trump-themed makeover to mark the United States’ 250th Independence celebrations and the upcoming India visit of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, but not everyone is a fan. The US embassy said it is providing thousands of vehicle covers emblazoned with Trump’s face and the US flag for the ubiquitous three-wheeled taxi rickshaws plying the sprawling megacity. “Happy Birthday America!”, the cover reads, fitted to the back of the usually yellow-and-green rickshaws, also known as tuk-tuks. “250 years old”. A worker fixes a poster featuring US President Donald Trump on an autorickshaw in New Delhi on May 21, 2026 marking the 250th anniversary of American independence. — AFP US Ambassador Sergio Gor, who was previously in charge of staffing the second Trump administration with loyalists, launched the rickshaw campaign in April featuring “iconic American images”. The US embassy in New Delhi told AFP that “thousands of tuk-tuks currently in circulation will be sponsored to showcase messages celebrating America’s 250th birthday”. Some include the Statue of Liberty. In sweltering heat at a fuel station, 24-year-old Tushar wielded a hammer as he fitted a Trump face cover to a three-wheeled rickshaw. “We get around 60 to 70 of these covers every day from a supplier,” Tushar, who uses only one name, told AFP, saying he earns around 50 rupees (half a dollar) to fit each one. He was busy persuading drivers to fit the free covers as they sat in queues for compressed natural gas (CNG), sweetening the deal with a small packet of tea. “The gifts keep changing,” Tushar said. “Sometimes, it is pickles.” An autorickshaw with a poster marking the 250th anniversary of American independence, moves past the India Gate in New Delhi on May 21, 2026. — AFP ‘Trump ruined everything’ India has been hard hit by fuel disruptions following the US and Israeli strikes on Iran that led to Tehran’s stranglehold on the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Ne