Trump Tariffs May Push India Toward Russia, Say Democrats

Three senior Democratic lawmakers have accused President Donald Trump of weakening the United States’ national security by alienating key allies—particularly India—and emboldening authoritarian regimes across the globe. In a joint statement issued on Monday, Representatives Gregory Meeks of New York, Adam Smith of Washington, and Jim Himes of Connecticut sharply criticized the president’s foreign policy decisions, warning they are pushing strategic partners like India toward rival powers such as Russia and China.

According to Reuters, the lawmakers, who serve as the ranking Democrats on the House Foreign Affairs, Armed Services, and Intelligence Committees, issued a sweeping indictment of Trump’s conduct in office. Citing everything from trade disputes to unauthorized military actions, they argued that his approach is destabilizing global alliances, weakening U.S. influence abroad, and undermining democratic norms at home.

A key focus of their criticism was Trump’s imposition of steep tariffs on Indian goods and energy purchases, particularly those involving Russian oil. The lawmakers said these economic measures are damaging the U.S.-India relationship and creating a vacuum that adversaries are eager to exploit. “Tariffs against allies like India are not just bad economics—they are bad geopolitics,” they warned. “They are driving India and other countries into the waiting arms of Russia, China, and North Korea.”

They also pointed to Trump’s 2023 summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling it a symbolic low point in American diplomacy. “From literally rolling out the red carpet for Vladimir Putin to parroting Kremlin talking points that blame Ukraine for Russia’s brutal invasion, Donald Trump has consistently chosen strongmen over allies,” the statement said. “This isn’t strength—it’s capitulation.”

The Democrats, as cited by the Hindu, expressed concern over what they called Trump’s pattern of authoritarian behavior, citing examples such as his deployment of federal troops to U.S. cities without local consent, the unauthorized strike on a Venezuelan speedboat, and an unapproved military attack on Iranian nuclear facilities. They also condemned his unilateral rebranding of the Department of Defense as the “Department of War,” calling it an unconstitutional overreach of executive power.

“These actions show there is no limit to his executive overreach and willingness to violate constitutional law and norms,” the lawmakers stated.

The joint statement emphasized the broader implications of Trump’s leadership style, claiming that his foreign policy is motivated more by personal ambition than strategic planning. “With each desperate appeal to dictators to nominate him for the Nobel Prize, Trump alienates the allies and alliances that are critical to global stability and our own national security,” they said.

The lawmakers pledged to use their committee roles to act as a check on what they described as dangerous and reckless behavior. “We commit to pushing back on the Trump Administration’s policies that not only undermine the United States’ international standing and fan the flames of conflict around the globe, but also make America less secure.”

They concluded with a call to restore American leadership grounded in democratic values. “We stand for returning the United States to a place that supports our international partners and allies, rejects autocratic regimes, respects the rule of law and the separation of powers at home, and prioritizes the prosperity and security of all Americans—not the ego of a fragile and weak President.”