Sergio Gor for Delhi: Is Donald Trump tying India back to Pakistan on purpose?

The U.S. has appointed Sergio Gor as both Ambassador to India and Special Envoy for South and Central Asia—raising alarms about a potential return to “India-Pakistan hyphenation” in American foreign policy.

In an unusual diplomatic move, Washington has tapped longtime Trump aide Sergio Gor to serve simultaneously as Ambassador to India and Special Envoy overseeing South and Central Asia—a region that includes geopolitical flashpoints like Pakistan and Afghanistan.

This dual role has reignited debate over the U.S.’s approach to South Asia. For years, American policy aimed to “de-hyphenate” its ties with India and Pakistan, treating the two nations independently rather than framing them as a single strategic equation.

Now, analysts like Michael Kugelman suggest that placing both responsibilities in New Delhi signals a return to bundling the two nuclear-armed rivals into one policy basket.

Critics argue that Gor’s role will inevitably pull the U.S. Embassy in Delhi into managing Pakistan-related issues, potentially reviving Cold War-era patterns of mediation that India resents. The move, they say, risks undermining India’s status as a standalone strategic partner.

But others see a different message. By installing a Trump confidant with direct presidential access in Delhi—handling not only the India portfolio but broader regional strategy—the U.S. may be doubling down on India as its anchor in Asia. That reading positions Gor’s appointment as a power play: consolidating regional oversight in the hands of someone trusted to execute Trump’s agenda in what he sees as the world’s most vital geopolitical theater.

The significance is amplified by Gor’s controversial rise. Born in Soviet Uzbekistan and raised partly in Malta, he entered U.S. politics via Senator Rand Paul before becoming a key Trump operative. He has been praised for his loyalty but dogged by internal feuds—including a reported clash with Elon Musk, who later called him “a snake.”