Former US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Donald Trump weakened America’s ties with India for personal gains. He argued this was “one of the most under-reported aspects of Trump’s foreign policy.”

Moreover, Sullivan told MeidasTouch that both Republicans and Democrats had supported closer ties with India for decades. According to him, India shares common ground with the US in technology, economics, and countering China.

He explained, “For decades, on a bipartisan basis, the US has worked to strengthen its relationship with India, the world’s largest democracy—a country with which we should be aligned on technology, talent, economics, and in countering China’s strategic drift.” He added, “Significant progress had been made on that front.”

Trump Shifted Focus to Pakistan

However, Sullivan accused Trump of reversing this progress. He claimed the former president prioritized family business interests over national strategy.

“Now, largely due to Pakistan’s willingness to engage in business deals with the Trump family, Trump has sidelined the India relationship. This is a major strategic setback because a strong India-US partnership serves our core interests,” Sullivan said.

Allies May Question US Reliability

Furthermore, Sullivan warned that other countries may also lose faith in Washington. He said nations such as Germany, Japan, and Canada could look at the India case and think, “that could be us tomorrow.”

As a result, Sullivan added, many allies may feel the need to hedge against the United States.

US Credibility Faces Global Test

In conclusion, Sullivan argued that America’s strength lies in its reliability. “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,” he said.

Therefore, he warned that weakening ties with India will damage not only that partnership but also Washington’s global reputation. “What’s 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,” he added.