At the White House, President Trump received a Hanuman Chalisa as a Diwali gift from Indian-American visitors, joining festival prayers. The gesture showed the growing presence of the Indian-American community during the festival. Far-right activists interrupted the ceremony, shouting Hinduphobic slogans, and a separate Seattle Diwali gathering was disrupted when activist Jake Lang used anti-India slogans. In Srinagar's Lal Chowk, diyas were lit and the Hanuman Chalisa was played, transforming a once-tense plaza into a site of light for Diwali on 8 November 2026. The event also featured traditional music and communal sharing of sweets.