Hyderabad: Weeks after following Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Prime Minister's Office, President Ram Nath Kovind, the Indian Embassy in the US, the US Embassy in India and the US Ambassador to India on Twitter, the White House has unfollowed these six Twitter handles earlier this week.
Explaining its move to unfollow the Indian leaders, the White House on Wednesday clarified that it follows the officials of the host countries for a short period of time on the micro-blogging site during the US President’s visit. It helps them to retweet their messages.
"The White House Twitter account normally follows senior US government Twitter accounts, and others as appropriate. For example, during the time of a presidential visit, the account typically follows for a short time, the host country's officials to retweet their messages in support of the visit," a senior administration official told PTI on the condition of anonymity.
The White House unfollowing the Indian leaders drew reactions on various social media.
Also Read: PM Modi becomes only world leader to be followed by WH on Twitter
"I'm dismayed by the "unfollowing" of our President & PM by the White House. I urge the Ministry of External Affairs to take note," senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted.
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I'm dismayed by the "unfollowing" of our President & PM by the White House. I urge the Ministry of External Affairs to take note.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 29, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
">I'm dismayed by the "unfollowing" of our President & PM by the White House. I urge the Ministry of External Affairs to take note.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 29, 2020I'm dismayed by the "unfollowing" of our President & PM by the White House. I urge the Ministry of External Affairs to take note.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 29, 2020
As of today, the White House has 22 million followers on Twitter and it follows 13 Twitter handles which includes President Donald Trump and his official Twitter handle, the First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, the Second Lady Karen Pence, the new Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany, the National Security Council and the former White House Press Secretary, Stephanie Grisham.
