'No One in Hollywood Could Play Modi': Trump Calls PM 'Great Leader', 'Tough Cookie' in Axios Interview.

US President praises Modi’s 12+ year tenure, political stability, and 'calm yet tough' style; Says India 'used to rip us off' but now 'fair business'; Places PM alongside Xi as leaders he admires most.

Washington, June 20, 2026: US President Donald Trump has lavished praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him a “great leader” and “very tough cookie” who has brought political stability to India after decades of short-lived governments.

In an interview with Axios, Trump said if Hollywood were to make a film about Modi or Chinese President Xi Jinping, “you wouldn't be able to find the man in Hollywood” capable of portraying either leader.

What Trump Said.

On Modi’s Leadership: “I think Modi is very good. Yeah. They've had some very good numbers announced. He stays out of wars, which is smart. He's 1.5 billion people. He's actually the biggest. India's actually the biggest. And Modi's a great leader.”

12-Year Tenure: “All my life I've watched India, they just kept changing, changing, changing. Somebody would be there for six months and then a year. And then all of a sudden, Prime Minister Modi ends up there. He's been there for more than 12 years. Very solid.”

'Calm Yet Tough': “He does it through this great calmness. And yet he's not a calm person. He's a very tough guy. I know him very well.”

Hollywood Line: “If you were going to make a movie about either one of them, you wouldn't be able to find the man in Hollywood.”

 Modi Among 'Greatest Leaders' He Admires.

Trump named Modi and Xi as the “two greatest leaders he likes the most in terms of power, leverage and the ability to execute on that.”He described both as “classics”with unique global stature.

“Modi’s great. President Xi is great. Classics, you know?”Trump said.

On India-US Trade: 'They Used to Rip Us Off'.

Trump said ties with India are now “fair”after past trade imbalances:

“We do a lot of business with them, but now we do fair business. They used to really rip us off. I don't blame them for that. You know, we had stupid politicians that allowed that to happen.”

“They're not that happy about it because they used to do a lot better. So Modi's great.”

He credited Modi’s approach to international affairs and noted India’s “very good numbers” and growing global weight.

Context: G-7 Summit & Ongoing Ties.

G-7 Meeting: Trump recalled meeting Modi on the sidelines of the G-7 Summit in France on Wednesday, calling him “great guy.”

Strategic Partnership: The remarks come as New Delhi and Washington expand cooperation on trade, technology, defence, and regional security. Trump recently said on Truth Social: “I love Prime Minister Modi. We’ve never been closer to India. I’m a big, big fan.”

Truth Social Posts: Trump has shared a _Newsmakers of the Year 2025 magazine cover featuring him and Modi, captioned “The mover & the shaker,”and called India Gate a “beautiful triumphal arch.”

 'Stays Out of Wars' & Political Stability.

Trump highlighted two qualities he admires in Modi:

Avoiding Conflict: “He stays out of wars, which is smart.”

Stability: Contrasting Modi’s 12+ years with India’s earlier revolving-door governments: “Somebody would be there for six months and then a year… Very solid.”

Ian Bremmer of Eurasia Group separately noted that Modi’s “longer-term political stability and policy continuity” give India “greater strategic leverage” vs Western leaders.

 Reaction & Significance.

The comments mark the latest in a series of public compliments between the two leaders. Analysts say the praise signals continued momentum in India-US strategic ties despite past trade tensions. 

PM Modi remains “one of the longest-serving elected leaders among major democracies,”with both nations deepening collaboration on critical minerals, technology, and Indo-Pacific security.