Trump’s personal rapport with Modi ‘gone now’, says former US NSA Bolton

His remarks come at a time many view as the lowest point in India-US ties in more than two decades, strained by Trump’s tariffs and repeated criticism of New Delhi. Bolton argued that Trump views diplomacy narrowly through his personal ties with leaders, a perspective that has hurt US policy.

“I think Trump sees international relations through the prism of his personal relations with leaders. So if he has a good relationship with Vladimir Putin, the US has a good relationship with Russia. That’s obviously not the case,” he said.

In a social media post, Bolton added that Trump has “set US-India relations back decades, pushing Modi closer to Russia and China,” undermining long-running bipartisan efforts in Washington to pivot India away from Moscow and toward countering Beijing.

The former NSA had earlier called Trump’s tariffs on India’s purchase of Russian oil an “unforced error” that risks driving New Delhi into the Beijing-Moscow axis.

Trump has imposed 25 per cent reciprocal tariffs on India and an additional 25 per cent levy for New Delhi’s purchases of Russian oil, bringing the total duties imposed on India to 50 per cent, with effect from August 27.

This also comes after the FBI recently searched Bolton’s Maryland residence and Washington office as part of a criminal investigation into the alleged mishandling of classified documents.

(With Inputs from PTI)