- New book reveals Trump’s tariff dispute over India.
- Trump rejected official figures, citing higher Indian duties.
- US imposed two rounds of tariffs on Indian goods.
- Escalating tensions placed India among highest-tariff nations.
A new book offering an inside look at Donald Trump’s presidency claims the U.S. president engaged in a heated confrontation with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick over tariff data related to India, highlighting his long-standing frustration with New Delhi’s trade policies.
According to Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump, authored by New York Times journalists Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan, Trump repeatedly questioned official government figures on tariffs imposed by major trading partners, particularly India and China.
The book alleges that Trump believed India’s tariffs on American goods were far higher than the figures presented by his own administration, leading to a tense exchange with senior officials.
Trump Questioned Official Tariff Figures
The authors write that Trump grew increasingly frustrated after being unable to obtain what he considered reliable figures on tariffs imposed on U.S. exports.
“Nobody has f***ing given me any numbers. Hard facts of how much China tariffs us, how much India tariffs us. You give me bullshit numbers,” Trump was quoted as saying.
In response, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick reportedly presented tariff figures compiled by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), hoping to address the president’s concerns.
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Heated Exchange With Commerce Secretary
According to the book, the presentation failed to calm Trump.
The president allegedly dismissed the figures outright and accused officials of providing inaccurate information. “No, these are bullshit numbers,” Trump reportedly responded, rejecting the USTR data.
The authors claim Trump repeatedly described the government’s tariff data as unreliable despite Lutnick’s efforts to defend the figures and explain the methodology behind them.
Trump’s View of India’s Trade Policies
The book states that Trump was convinced India imposed tariffs of at least 175 per cent on American goods, substantially higher than the official estimates available to his administration.
His views reflected a broader sentiment among some officials in his administration regarding India’s trade practices. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was among those who reportedly referred to India as the “maharaja of tariffs”.
Trade issues remained a recurring source of friction between Washington and New Delhi throughout Trump’s presidency, particularly over market access and import duties.
White House Highlighted High Indian Tariffs
The White House also cited India’s tariff structure during negotiations surrounding an interim bilateral trade agreement.
According to a White House fact sheet, India maintained some of the highest tariff rates imposed on U.S. goods among major economies. The document stated that agricultural products faced average tariffs of up to 37 per cent, while duties on certain automobiles exceeded 100 per cent.
These concerns became a key talking point as the administration prepared to reshape its global trade policies.
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Tariff Dispute Intensified After ‘Liberation Day’
The reported disagreements occurred ahead of Trump’s so-called “Liberation Day” trade initiative, during which the administration imposed a 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods.
Trade tensions escalated further months later when Trump announced an additional tariff increase linked to India’s continued purchases of Russian oil.
In August 2025, Trump accused India of helping finance Russia’s war effort in Ukraine through its crude oil imports. The administration subsequently imposed another 25 per cent tariff, taking the total tariff burden on Indian goods to 50 per cent.
India Among Nations Facing Highest US Tariffs
Following the additional measures, India joined a group of countries facing some of the highest U.S. tariff rates, alongside fellow BRICS members Brazil and China.
The developments underscored the increasingly strained trade relationship between Washington and New Delhi during Trump’s presidency, with tariffs becoming a central point of contention between the two countries.
The revelations in the new book offer fresh insight into the internal debates that shaped the administration’s trade strategy and Trump’s personal views on India’s tariff regime.
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