Former President Donald Trump reportedly called U.S. tariff numbers on India and China “bullshit.” This surfaced during meeting with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick before Trump's “Liberation Day” tariffs.
In Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump, authors Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan from New York Times reveal Trump's doubt about government data. During one chat with Lutnick,Trump voiced disbelief,claiming the numbers didn't reflect real duties on American goods by India.
“These are bullshit numbers!” Trump reportedly shouted,questioning data. Lutnick defended them,saying they came from U.S . sources,but Trump wasn't convinced . He lamented he had no solid info on tariffs from major partners,frustratedly exclaiming, “Nobody has f***ing given me any numbers . Hard facts on how much China tariffs us,how much India tariffs us. You give me bullshit numbers.”
Trump believed India slapped over 175% tariffs on U.S. products, stoking tensions. By August 2025,he accused India of worsening Ukraine crisis by buying Russian oil,leading to 25% hike in tariffs on Indian imports,bringing total duties to 50%.
Senior U.S. officials have slammed India’s tariff policies. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent dubbed India the “maharaja of tariffs.” White House later pointed out India's steep tariffs in a fact sheet with an interim trade deal,noting some of highest tariffs among major economies,including average agricultural tariffs of 37% and over 100% duties on certain cars.
After months of tough talks,the U.S. and India announced framework for interim trade deal in February 2026. Washington agreed to cut its tariff on Indian goods from 25% to 18% and removed extra tariff tied to Russian oil after India pledged to stop those imports. In return,India agreed to lower or scrap tariffs on some American goods,including dried distillers’ grains,red sorghum,tree nuts,fresh and processed fruits,soybean oil,wine,and spirits.
Despite framework deal,full implementation still pending,both sides keep negotiating terms. Future of U.S.-India trade ties hangs in the balance…
