Ivanka Trump photoshopped meme from India trip goes viral amid controversy

Photos of Ivanka Trump, the daughter of US President Donald Trump, on her trip to India have gone viral after she responded on Twitter to an Indian singer who photoshopped images of the two together at famous sites.

Ivanka accompanied President Trump on his first official visit to India last week. During the trip, she posted photos of herself at Taj Mahal, India’s most famous tourist site.

Shortly after Ivanka tweeted the photograph, Indians began photoshopping themselves next to Ivanka in a variety of settings – including on the back of a bike and on a prom date.

The instant meme was picked by Indian singer Diljit Dosanjh, who has 3.8 million followers on Twitter. Dosanjh, who is well known for making comments to celebrities online including Kylie Jenner, tweeted himself lying in a relaxed pose next to Ivanka at the Taj Mahal.

But rather than take offense, Ivanka seemed to see the funny side – and retweeted the photo of her and Dosanjh, adding that she was grateful that Dosanjh had taken her to see the Taj Mahal.

Trump visit provokes mixed reaction

Many Indian news outlets picked up the story and applauded Ivanka for her sense of humor and appreciation of India.

President Trump was welcomed by crowds upon his arrival in Ahmedabad last Monday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Trump for his visit and both leaders lauded the ties between their two countries.

However, others criticized Ivanka for taking part in the visit which they said legitimized the policies of Indian Prime Minister Modi.

Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders called out the timing of the visit, which took place as anti-Muslim mobs killed 27 in Delhi. Prime Minister Modi has been blamed for stoking communal divisions through divisive citizenship laws.

Trump said that he discussed religious freedom with Modi, which he said India had worked “hard” to achieve.

Referring to the violence, Trump said “I heard about the individual attacks, but I did not discuss it. It is up to India.”

Despite the controversy, Ivanka seemed to enjoy her trip, tweeting “I appreciate the warmth of the Indian people. ...I made many new friends!!!” in a tongue-in-cheek reference to the photoshopped images.