‘Haven’t done Phase 2 or 3 yet’: Trump hits back at reporter for questioning lack of action against Russia

The US president, visibly irritated, pointed to the secondary sanctions that he put on India for buying Russian oil as a key example of his administration’s decisive action.

“How do you know there’s no action? Would you say that putting secondary sanctions on India, the largest purchaser outside of China, they’re almost equal, would you say there was no action? That cost hundreds of billions of dollars to Russia. You call that no action? And I haven’t done phase two yet or phase three. But when you say there’s no action, I think you ought to get yourself a new job,” Trump said, hitting back at the reporter.

“Two weeks ago, I said, if India buys, India’s got big problems, and that’s what happens. So, don’t tell me about that,” the US president said.

On being asked about slapping secondary sanctions on Moscow, Trump said, “Well, I’ve already done that with regard to India, and we’re doing it with regard to other things.”

‘India kills US with tariffs’, says Trump

Earlier, Trump said that “India kills the US with tariffs” and reiterated his claim that New Delhi had offered Washington “no tariffs”, amid fraying relations between the two countries.

“They have tariffs against us. China, which kills us with tariffs. India kills us with tariffs. Brazil kills us” with tariffs, the Republican leader said in an interview with The Scott Jennings Radio Show on Tuesday.

Trump underscored that his decision to levy tariffs had forced countries such as India to make concessions.

“I understood tariffs better than any human being in the world. And now with my tariffs, they were all dropping them. India was the most highly tariffed nation… And you know what, they’ve offered me no tariffs in India anymore. No tariffs,” Trump said.

“If I didn’t have tariffs, they would never make that offer. They would never make that offer. So you have to have tariffs. We’re going to be economically strong,” he added.

Trump slapped 25 per cent reciprocal tariffs on India and an additional 25 per cent levies for purchasing oil from Russia, bringing the total duties imposed on New Delhi to 50 per cent, with effect from August 27.

(With inputs from agencies)