‘Pushing India close to China’: Ex-US Security Advisor slams Trump’s tariff war on India, calls US a ‘disrupter’ in global trade

The comments from the former top U.S. official come just days after Trump’s 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods took effect on August 27. This is the highest tariff the U.S. has imposed on any country.

Jake Sullivan, former National Security Adviser in the Biden administration, criticized Donald Trump’s 50 per cent tariffs on India, saying they pushed New Delhi closer to China as a way to respond to America’s trade pressure. Sullivan said that many countries, even close U.S. allies, now see the United States as “unreliable” and a “disruptor” in global trade. His comments come amid rising tensions between Washington and New Delhi over what he called “unfair” U.S. tariffs.

“When I visit these countries and talk to their leaders, they tell me they’re trying to reduce their dependence on the United States. They see America as the disruptor — a country they can no longer fully trust,” Sullivan said during an interview on The Bulwark podcast with Tim Miller.

Jake Sullivan also praised China for presenting itself as a “responsible player on the global stage,” drawing a sharp contrast with how the U.S. is now being viewed.

“China has gained more popularity than the United States in many countries. That wasn’t the case just a year ago. Now, people are saying the U.S. brand is damaged, while China appears to be the responsible one,” Sullivan said.

Using India as an example, he pointed out that both Republican and Democratic administrations had worked to strengthen ties with New Delhi. But, he said, Trump’s heavy tariffs pushed India closer to China.

“Look at India,” Sullivan explained. “We had been building a deeper, more stable relationship with them, especially given the China challenge. Then Trump launched a massive trade offensive against them, and now India feels it needs to engage with Beijing to balance against America.”

Why did Jake Sullivan comment on US trade pressure?

The comments from the former top U.S. official come just days after Trump’s 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods took effect on August 27. This is the highest tariff the U.S. has imposed on any country and is expected to hurt India’s growth and job market. Trump justified the extra 25 per cent tariff by pointing to India’s purchase of Russian oil.

These steep taxes have sparked concerns about a drop in Indian exports to the U.S., which could badly affect sectors like textiles, jewelry, and mechanical goods.

A report released Friday by leading American investment bank Jefferies suggested that these tariffs are driven largely by Trump’s “personal anger” over not being allowed to mediate in the India-Pakistan dispute. According to the report, Trump had “hoped to intervene” in the conflict back in May. It also highlighted agriculture as another ongoing point of tension in trade relations between the two countries.

HIGHLIGHTS

1. Former NSA Jake Sullivan criticized Trump for launching a “massive trade offensive” against India.
2. He said U.S. allies now view America as a “big disruptor,” while China has gained more global popularity.
3. Sullivan added that Trump’s heavy tariffs pushed India “to sit with China.”
4. His comments come just days after Trump’s 50% tariff on Indian goods took effect on August 27.