Haley slams Trump for targeting India, says US ‘burning ties with ally, giving China a pass’

Indian-American Republican leader Nikki Haley has lashed out at President Donald Trump for his escalating rhetoric and punitive stance against India, warning that the United States is at risk of “burning” a crucial alliance while letting China off the hook.

The former US Ambassador to the United Nations, who served under Trump during his first presidential term, strongly criticized the double standards in Washington’s foreign policy — particularly Trump’s recent decision to sharply raise tariffs on India over its ongoing purchase of Russian oil.

“India should not be buying oil from Russia,” Haley acknowledged in a post on X. “But China, an adversary and the number one buyer of Russian and Iranian oil, got a 90-day tariff pause. Don’t give China a pass and burn a relationship with a strong ally like India.”

Haley’s remarks came just hours after Trump slammed India as “not a good trading partner” and vowed to raise tariffs on Indian goods “very substantially” within 24 hours — citing India’s energy ties with Moscow and accusing New Delhi of “fueling the Russian war machine.”

In a notable departure from diplomatic restraint, India on Monday issued a rare and sharp rebuke to both the US and the European Union, denouncing their pressure campaign over its oil imports from Russia as “unjustified and unreasonable.”

The former South Carolina Governor, once a 2024 presidential hopeful before exiting the race in March last year, framed her comments as a call for strategic clarity in U.S. foreign policy — one that doesn’t undermine alliances in Asia while Beijing is let off the hook.

Her warning was amplified by Trump’s contrasting tone toward China, where he spoke warmly of Chinese President Xi Jinping in an interview with CNBC, saying: “We have a very good relationship... We’re getting along with China very well.” He added that a meeting with Xi could happen “before the end of the year,” pending a potential trade deal.

The former president’s statements — expressing mutual respect and optimism over US-China ties — stood in stark contrast to his punitive tone on India, despite Beijing being the top buyer of both Russian and Iranian oil.

As tensions mount, Haley’s rebuke has sparked renewed debate within the Republican camp over Washington’s strategic priorities — and whether the US can afford to alienate democratic partners like India while attempting rapprochement with authoritarian adversaries.