Mindy Kaling says she first 'outed Kamala Harris as Indian' in subtle shade at Trump while hosting DNC

Kaling quipped about Harris' Indian roots and joked about being the perfect candidate to become the ambassador to Italy
Mindy Kaling subtly mocked Donald Trump for questioning Kamala Harris' ethnicity as she played host on the third day of the DNC (Getty Images)
Mindy Kaling subtly mocked Donald Trump for questioning Kamala Harris' ethnicity as she played host on the third day of the DNC (Getty Images)

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: Comedian and actress Mindy Kaling subtly slammed former President Donald Trump by claiming to have announced vice president and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris' Indian roots to the public before him, as she performed hosting duties for the third day of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Wednesday, August 21.

Trump and his MAGA supporters have taken to attacking Harris on the basis of her ethnicity since the GOP nominee questioned her roots while speaking at the National Association of Black Journalists convention last month.

“I don’t know, is she Indian or is she Black?” Trump had asked, alleging that Harris was using her racial identity for political opportunism.

According to CNN, the vice president is biracial, sharing Indian roots from her mother Shyamala Gopalan, a breast cancer researcher who died in 2009, and Jamaican roots with her father, Donald Harris, a retired Stanford University economist.



 

Mindy Kaling's comments at the DNC

While introducing herself on the stage of the United Center, Kaling told the cheering crowd that they might recognize her from television series such as 'The Office' and 'The Mindy Project,' or as "the woman who courageously outed Kamala Harris as Indian in an Instagram cooking video."

Kaling referred to a promotional cooking video she made in 2019 with then-Senator and Democratic presidential candidate Harris, where the two made masala dosa, and bonded over their shared Indian heritage.



 

At one point, the comedian also joked about vying for a role in the Harris administration, saying, "I am so proud to be here supporting my friend. But the real reason I am here is that deep down, I truly believe that as a woman of color and as a single mother of three, it is incredibly important that I be appointed the ambassador to Italy."



 

Internet praises Mindy Kaling's quips

Netizens reacting to Mindy Kaling's DNC speech on the social media platform X (formerly Twiiter) appreciated her fun jibes. The following tweets demonstrate their prevalent take.

"That’s hilarious," wrote a user.



 

"You heard the woman," stated another.



 

"Women fighting for democracy!" cheered a third.



 

"Honestly I really don’t care for her but I give props where props are due on a solid joke," commented a fourth.



 

"Same girl, same. We gotta apply for the jobs we want," quipped a fifth.



 

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.

GET BREAKING U.S. NEWS & POLITICAL UPDATES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

Donald Trump subsequently announced that Stephen Miller would replace Susie Wiles as chief of staff, with the transition scheduled for Monday
2026-11-07T07:38:55.000Z
Abdul El-Sayed faced criticism over his response to the Temple Israel synagogue attack, widening divisions with Michigan's Jewish community
2026-11-07T06:16:46.000Z
Katie reportedly made around half a dozen calls to Trump insiders, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and allies of Vice President JD Vance
2026-11-07T05:28:32.000Z
The move came after Republicans suffered major midterm losses and roughly a week before a hearing to assess the accuracy of California's voter list
2026-11-07T04:46:46.000Z
The Rewards for Justice program sought details about Iran’s nuclear facilities, equipment and scientific personnel, while offering informants possible relocation
2026-11-07T04:41:58.000Z
AG Todd Blanche announced Jason A Reding Quinones’ resignation amid a series of high-profile DOJ departures after Republicans’ midterm election losses
2026-11-07T03:57:08.000Z
Trump hinted at Cabinet firings in a '60 Minutes' interview recorded just hours before Susie Wiles was replaced by Stephen Miller
2026-11-07T03:37:56.000Z
Susie Wiles' departure followed reports that Trump was unhappy with his advisers over weak midterm strategy and was considering changes
2026-11-06T21:11:35.000Z
James Comer criticized the lack of a clear Iran strategy and said Republican voters were more dissatisfied with the situation than Democrats
2026-11-06T20:58:36.000Z
John Sununu, who lost his Senate bid for New Hampshire, accused President Trump of failing to fulfill his promise to tackle corruption, claiming that “his family is on every transaction"
2026-11-06T19:00:05.000Z