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Here’s Why PM Modi Declined Trump’s White House Lunch Invite

At Odisha rally, Prime Minister Modi shares he turned down a Washington invite from US President Donald Trump to return to India for spiritual and political commitments

June 20, 2025 | Prime Minister Narendra Modi revealed on Friday that he declined an invitation from US President Donald Trump to visit Washington DC, citing a prior commitment to visit the “holy land of Lord Jagannath” in Odisha. PM Modi made the comments while addressing a public gathering in Bhubaneswar, marking the first anniversary of the BJP government in Odisha.

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🕉️ “The Land Of Lord Jagannath Beckoned Me”: PM Modi

Sharing the anecdote from his recent visit to Canada for the G7 Summit, PM Modi said, “I was in Canada when President Donald Trump called and invited me to Washington for a discussion and lunch. I humbly declined, saying I had to visit Odisha—the land of Lord Jagannath.”

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His remarks drew applause from the audience, many of whom viewed it as a symbolic statement of cultural pride and spiritual priority over geopolitics.

PM Modi’s G7 visit saw bilateral meetings with several leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron. A meeting with Trump was scheduled but did not materialize after the US President left the summit midway amid the escalating Israel-Iran conflict.

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🛕 BJP’s Odisha Anniversary & Development Focus

During the rally, PM Modi launched development projects worth over ₹18,600 crore, reaffirming the Centre’s commitment to Odisha’s infrastructural growth. It was Modi’s first participation in a major BJP state event since the party came to power in Odisha.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri later added that while PM Modi declined Trump’s Washington invitation, he extended a counter-invitation for President Trump to visit India later this year for the upcoming Quad Summit.