Trump’s Tariffs Backfire: Ex-NSA Jake Sullivan Says ‘US Brand in Toilet’ as India Sides with China

Washington: President Donald Trump is facing strong opposition in the US after imposing heavy tariffs against India. Former US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has strongly criticized Trump's policy towards India and called it comprehensive trade aggression. Sullivan has warned that this move has forced New Delhi to move closer to Beijing. Speaking on a podcast with Tim Miller, Sullivan said that US allies and partners no longer trust Washington. They consider it a major disruptor rather than a reliable partner, while China has gained global popularity.

Trump pushed India towards China

Sullivan said Trump's economic policies were hurting the US and cited India as a prime example. The former US NSA said Washington was working to strengthen its partnership with New Delhi in the face of China's challenge. But Trump's heavy tariffs have strained relations and forced India to "sit down with China".

Sullivan didn't stop there. He said "The US brand is in a bad shape across the world. Just look at India. Trump has launched massive trade attacks against them. India is now thinking, oops, we have to make a deal with China to deal with the US."

Trump's heavy tariffs on India

Sullivan's comments come at a time when the US has imposed a massive tariff of 50 per cent on goods imported from India. This is the highest tariff imposed on any country so far. This is expected to hurt sectors such as textiles, jewellery and mechanical equipment in India, with a potential impact on growth and employment.

Trump's personal grudge against India

Trump has justified the 50 percent tariff against India, which also includes a punitive duty of 25% on Russian oil purchases. However, investment banking firm Jefferies has said in its report released on Friday that Trump has imposed tariffs on India due to personal grudge. It says that Trump was expecting mediation in the India-Pakistan dispute, but India refused to mediate as any country, due to which Trump has taken this step in frustration. Apart from this, the report also mentions the issue of opening of agricultural sector between the two countries.