PM Modi Reveals Why He ‘Politely Declined’ Trump’s Dinner Invite: ‘Thank You, But…

Prime Minister Narender Modi on Friday stated that he had rejected an invitation for a dinner meeting from US President Donald Trump in Washington, and he preferred to visit Odisha.

Speaking at a public event in Bhubaneswar, PM Narendra Modi said, “Just two days ago, I was in Canada for the G7 Summit. While I was there, US President Trump called me and said ‘since you are in Canada, come via Washington. Let’s have dinner and talk.’ He extended the invitation with great insistence.”

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Modi said he respectfully declined the offer. “I told the US President, thank you for the invitation. But it is very important for me to go to the land of Mahaprabhu (Odisha),” Modi said, referring to the revered Jagannath Temple in Puri.

“Your love and devotion to Mahaprabhu brought me to this land,” the Prime Minister added, addressing the crowd.

#WATCH | Bhubaneswar, Odisha: "Just two days ago, I was in Canada for the G7 summit and the US President Trump called me. He said, since you have come to Canada, go via Washington, we will have dinner together and talk. He extended the invitation with great insistence. I told the… pic.twitter.com/MdLsiYnNCQ

— ANI (@ANI) June 20, 2025

PM Modi slams Congress at Odisha rally

Speaking at the public meeting to commemorate the first anniversary of Odisha's Bharatiya Janata Party government there, Modi also launched a blistering attack on the Congress, accusing them of hastening tribal communities into disrepair and designating their territories the "red corridor" to fold in political gains.

He further stated that the BJP has addressed the long-delayed wishes of the people because the four gates of Puri Jagannath temple and the culture of their "Ratna Bhandar" had reopened.

“The party which ruled India for decades had neglected the tribal community and used them merely for political benefits," Modi said in an allusion to the Congress.

The PM also made allegations that tribal-dominated regions were "willfully left backward" in the past regimes even though he did not directly name the prime suspects.

“Over 125 tribal-dominated districts in the country were affected by Maoists for years. These areas were given a bad name like ‘red corridor’. Most of these districts were declared backward, and the then governments did not take the responsibility to develop them," Modi said.

He made additional allegations of when Congress were caretakers of India, there was poor governance based on the party itself, from the Centre to the State.

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Odisha government, in its first year, praising the efforts of the current government, Modi said, “Today is a very special day. The first BJP government in Odisha has successfully completed one year. This anniversary is not just of the government, it is the anniversary of the establishment of good governance."

The prime minister went on to add that the first completed year of the BJP dispensation was a struggle between "public and service and public trust".

He added that the BJP government in Orissa has concentrated efforts entirely to address to the people and their confidence.

In years past, he noted that there was a lack of options in Odisha that reflected the people.

"The government has completed one year with good governance and public services," he said.

Claiming that Odisha had witnessed "corruption, no infrastructure development, while many regions remained backwards under previous regimes", the PM said that the BJP dispensation has felt the duty to address these hardships in the State.

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