Trump begins to feel the heat for India bullying

US President Donald Trump is now coming under increasing fire, not just from international observers and experts but from within the US political establishment, for his deeply flawed and short-sighted handling of US-India relations. A bipartisan partnership that took decades to build, withstood several geopolitical storms, and is seen as a key pillar of US strategy in the Indo-Pacific, is now at risk of unravelling under the weight of Trump's erratic trade decisions, strategic misalignments, and questionable personal motives.

The US-India relationship has historically enjoyed rare bipartisan support in Washington. From the landmark US-India civil nuclear agreement under President George W. Bush to the strengthening of defense, tech and people-to-people ties under Barack Obama and Joe Biden, India has been consistently viewed as a crucial democratic partner in countering China’s rise, ensuring stability in South Asia, and promoting shared values of democracy and open markets.

Trump’s imposition of massive 50% tariffs on Indian goods, repeated public attacks on India, singling India out for buying Russian oil and driving it closer to Russia and China have sparked alarm and backlash across the US political spectrum.

Also Read | Trump backs 50% tariff on India, calls relationship with New Delhi 'one-sided'

Jake Sullivan: “Thrown the India Relationship Over the Side”
Former National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, who has been one of the most influential figures in shaping US foreign policy under Presidents Biden and Obama, did not mince words in a recent podcast appearance on MeidasTouch. He accused Trump of “throwing the India relationship over the side” for reasons that appear to be driven more by personal financial interests than by national strategy.

Sullivan suggested that Trump’s alignment with Pakistan was less about geopolitical balancing and more about private business dealings, stating that “Pakistan’s willingness to do business deals with the Trump family” had overridden US strategic considerations. This is a damning indictment, implying that one of the world’s most consequential bilateral relationships is being sacrificed for personal gain.

Sullivan was referring to Trump family ties to Zach Witkoff, co-founder of World Liberty Financial (WLFI), which signed a deal with the Pakistan Crypto Council in April of 2025, to advance crypto development and digital financial transformation in Pakistan. Members of the Trump family, including his sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, and son-in-law Jared Kushner, are reported to hold significant stake in the company. Witkoff is the son of Steve Witkoff, a former real estate lawyer whose friendship with Trump goes back to the 1980s and who is now his troubleshooter in hotspots across the world, including in the Gulf and Russia-Ukraine.

Also Read | Trump has no understanding of economics, India holds 21st century's deciding vote and justified tariff policies: Edward Price

Congressional Democrats: 'It's not about Ukraine at all'
Democrats on the US House Foreign Affairs Committee have slammed Trump’s decision to impose a 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods, saying the move is “hurting Americans & sabotaging the US-India relationship in the process.” The committee, criticising Trump’s focus on India’s purchase of Russian oil, further questioned the motive behind the move. “It’s almost like it’s not about Ukraine at all,” it said in a post. The criticism came on the day the tariffs officially took effect, following a US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) notice that implemented Trump's order on August 6.

Ro Khanna: 'Five-alarm fire'
Indian-origin Congressman Rohit "Ro" Khanna has sharply criticised Trump’s decision to impose 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods, warning it threatens decades of US-India strategic cooperation. Khanna, a Democrat and co-chair of the United States-India Caucus, accused Trump of 'undermining' three decades of bipartisan efforts that had strengthened the strategic US-India alliance.

"I want to sound the five-alarm fire (alert for an exceptionally large and destructive fire) on what Donald Trump is doing to destroy the US-India relationship," Khanna said in a video posted on his X handle yesterday. The California representative added: "He (Trump) has imposed a 50 per cent tariff on India, higher (joint-highest) than any other country other than Brazil. It's a higher tariff than the tariff on China. It is hurting India's exports of leather and textiles into the United States. And it's hurting American manufacturers and our exports into India. It is also driving India towards China and towards Russia."

"Now, why is this happening? For very simple reasons. Prime Minister Modi refused to nominate Donald Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize. Well, Pakistan did. And India has said that the border dispute with Pakistan is an internal matter, refusing to give Donald Trump credit," Khanna stated.

Also Read | Trump says India offered to cut tariffs to 'nothing', but it’s getting 'late' after years of one-sided trade

Nikki Haley: 'To face China, US must have friend in India'
More than a week ago, former US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley described India as a “friend” the US needs in its corner to counter China, while urging New Delhi to take Trump’s concerns over Russian oil “seriously.”

Haley’s remarks come from an opinion piece she recently wrote in Newsweek, where she described India as “essential” for the US and urged Washington to treat New Delhi as a “prized free and democratic partner.” The Indian-origin Republican leader has faced criticism within her party for apparently siding with India in the trade standoff. However, later she drew attention to a different section of her article—warning that New Delhi too must be mindful of US concerns.

Gavin Newsom: 'Have no fear ...':
At the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in China's Tianjin, camaraderie between three major world leaders -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping -- drew attention worldwide. In the US, reactions appeared divided. California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat and vocal critic of Trump, used the moment to take a swipe at him. Sharing a clip of PM Modi, Putin, and Xi's friendly interaction, Newsom posted on X: “But have no fear, Trump is sending the Guard to Chicago.”

The jab from Newsom came after Trump hinted last week that he planned to deploy National Guard personnel to Chicago and New York, a move that has already drawn sharp criticism from Democrats.

CRS briefing: 'A disturbing pattern'
Perhaps the most alarming assessment came from the Congressional Research Service (CRS), a nonpartisan entity that advises Congress with objective research. In a detailed briefing dated August 25, the CRS warned that Trump’s second term actions are “destabilising a relationship built over 25 years.”

The CRS warned that Trump’s second term is destabilising a relationship built over 25 years. Massive tariffs (50% on top of existing ones), claims of ending the May India-Pakistan conflict, and a White House lunch with Pakistan’s army chief have left Delhi frustrated, it said. On top of this, America’s ability to deliver on tech and defense initiatives looks weaker, even as immigration and diaspora ties remain central, the CRS said. For Congress, the dilemma is whether to salvage a bipartisan strategic partnership or let Trump’s instincts on tariffs and Pakistan dictate US policy, it added.

CRS also mentioned the May 2025 four-day war between India and Pakistan. Its finding is damning: “Indian officials… have expressed frustration that the President has treated India and Pakistan as equals—including by hosting Pakistan’s army chief to lunch at the White House—while Delhi holds Pakistan responsible for the terrorist attack that sparked the conflict.”

Hindu group: 'Colonial-era trope'
A Hindu advocacy group, HinduPACT's American Hindus Against Defamation (AHAD), on Tuesday demanded the dismissal of Peter Navarro, trade advisor of Trump, condemning his remarks as "inappropriate and Hinduphobic." The group objected to Navarro's reference to caste and his "portrayal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a sacred act of Hindu prayer."

In its press release, AHAD said, "Navarro's rhetoric constitutes not only a cultural violation but also a reckless provocation that endangers the dignity of over a billion Hindus and threatens the foundational relationship between the two largest democracies."

The group criticised Navarro’s comments about "Brahmins profiting at the expense of the Indian people," calling it a colonial stereotype. "It's not a critique; it's a colonial-era trope recycled to divide Hindu society and depict India as inherently unjust," AHAD stated. Ajay Shah, executive chair of HinduPACT, said, "This is not foreign policy. It's weaponized Hinduphobia. Dividing Hindus through colonial scripts doesn't build relationships. It destroys them. People like Navarro have no place in American political life." Deepti Mahajan, president of the group, also took issue with Navarro’s use of Modi’s prayer image. "Saffron is sacred. Prayer is not propaganda. What exactly was Navarro trying to say by using that image?" she asked.