John Bolton, former US National Security Advisor, has criticized President Donald Trump’s tariff policies for detrimental effects on the United States’ strategic interests. Bolton argued that Trump’s policies have severely hampered the long-standing efforts of Western nations to detach India from its Cold War era connections with the Soviet Union and address the emerging challenges posed by China. He made his statements on X, where he accused Trump of undermining strategic objectives through his economic approach. Bolton also stated that Trump’s actions have created opportunities for Chinese President Xi Jinping to influence the geopolitical dynamics in the Eastern hemisphere. Bolton specifically stated that Trump’s policies had ‘shredded’ years of efforts to move India away from its alliance with the Soviet Union/Russia. Bolton served as national security advisor from 2018-2019. The comments came after the SCO summit where Modi met with Putin and Xi. Modi and Xi recognized the stabilizing effect of their economies on global trade. Modi also highlighted the strong India-Russia relationship.
