Purchase Of Russian Oil Is Just An Excuse; Trump’s ‘Personal Business Deals With Pakistan’ Derailed US-India Ties? | World News

Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump’s pursuit of personal business deals in Pakistan has left a lasting dent in Washington’s relationship with India, alleges former US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. He describes the move as a “huge strategic harm” to America’s own interests, warning that the fallout goes far beyond just one bilateral relationship.

“On a bipartisan basis, going back decades, the United States has worked to build its relationship with India, the world’s largest democracy, a country that we should be aligned with on technology, talent and economics and so many other issues, and aligned with in dealing with the strategic threat from China,” he says during an interview on the MeidasTouch YouTube channel.

He emphasises that the United States and India had been making “significant progress” in strengthening ties, only for Trump to “throw it aside” in pursuit of deals with Pakistan. “Because of Pakistan’s willingness to do business deals with the Trump family, Trump has thrown the India relationship over the side,” he said bluntly.

Sullivan’s remarks highlight the strategic cost of such a move. Ties between New Delhi and Washington have shown visible strains in recent months, particularly after the Trump administration targeted India with steep tariff over its procurement of discounted Russian crude oil, while avoiding similar criticism of China or European nations, the largest importers of Russian energy.

Meanwhile, the U.S. president sought to take credit for a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, despite New Delhi’s repeated denials.

“Sacrificing ties with New Delhi is a huge strategic harm in its own right because a strong US-India relationship serves our interests,” Sullivan warns.

He adds that this behaviour sends a troubling signal globally: “Every other country in the world cannot rely on the United States and will look at the situation and say, ‘That could be us tomorrow.’”

He underlines the erosion of trust in U.S. commitments, stating, “Our word should be our bond. We should be good for what we say. Our friends should be able to rely on us, and that has always been our strength. And what is happening with India right now has huge direct impacts. But it also has this reverberating impact across all our relationships and partnerships in the world.”

The Pakistan Connection

While U.S.-India relations cooled, U.S.-Pakistan ties warmed. Trump welcomed Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir to the White House to discuss trade, economic development and cryptocurrency. In July, the administration formalised a trade deal with Pakistan and offered support for developing Islamabad’s “massive oil reserves”.

Underlying these moves, however, were private financial interests. In April, the World Liberty Financial Inc (WLFI), a cryptocurrency firm majority-owned by Trump and his family, signed deals with the Pakistan Crypto Council to promote crypto investment and innovation.

Sullivan suggests these private deals were a direct driver behind Trump’s diplomatic pivot.

Experts say the episode highlight the fragility of U.S. alliances when personal business interests intersect with state policy. The strategic consequences are layered: beyond immediate friction with India, other nations are now forced to hedge their bets, questioning whether U.S. commitments are reliable.

Sullivan says national strategy cannot, and must not, be subordinated to private gain. “Our friends should be able to rely on us,” he reiterates, “and when that trust erodes, it affects not just one country, but the entire network of partnerships that define America’s global influence.”