American political scientist and South Asia expert C. Christine Fair has gone viral after using a Hindi expletive, “c**tiya,” to describe US President Donald Trump’s foreign policy decisions. She made the remark during a conversation with Pakistan-origin British journalist Moeed Pirzada, where Fair criticised the Trump administration’s foreign policies and how it weakened US institutions.
What happened during the interview?
When asked whether Washington had moved beyond India as a strategic partner after Trump’s tariff measures, Fair argued that the US bureaucracy still valued the relationship with New Delhi. She stressed that career officials, rather than political appointees, had worked for decades to strengthen ties with India. Christine claimed that the Trump administration lacked expertise and had hollowed out the State Department. “The optimist in me would like to believe the bureaucracy will hold it together,” she said. “But the pessimist in me says we have four years of this … of this c**tiya.”
Who is Christine Fair?
C. Christine Fair is a professor in the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service. She has previously held several high-profile positions, including senior political scientist at the RAND Corporation, political officer with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, senior research associate at the US Institute of Peace, and fellow at West Point’s Combating Terrorism Center and India’s Institute of Defense Studies and Analysis.
Her academic background includes a PhD in South Asian Languages and Civilizations and an MA in Public Policy, both from the University of Chicago. Fair is widely recognised for her research on South Asian political and military affairs, particularly Pakistan’s security establishment and militant networks. Her books include, ‘In Their Own Words: Understanding the Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (2019), Fighting to the End: The Pakistan Army’s Way of War, Pakistan’s Enduring Challenges, Policing Insurgencies: Cops as Counterinsurgents, The Madrassah Challenge: Militancy and Religious Education in Pakistan.
Fair is a frequent voice in global media. Her commentary has appeared in outlets such as The New York Times, Foreign Policy, Foreign Affairs, and The National Review. She has also featured on major networks including BBC, CNN, Al Jazeera, Fox, and NPR.