Trump Defends Tariff Policy, Calls It a ‘War Settler’ as US Imposes Heavy Duties on India

US President Donald Trump hails tariffs as America’s greatest negotiating weapon, credits them with “settling seven wars,” and justifies 50% tariffs on Indian imports.

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Washington DC, September 3: In his trademark flamboyant style, US President Donald Trump has once again put tariffs at the center of his political and economic narrative, this time dubbing them the ultimate “war settler.” Speaking to reporters while announcing the relocation of the US Space Command headquarters to Huntsville, Alabama, Trump insisted that tariffs not only strengthened the American economy but also gave Washington unparalleled leverage in global negotiations.

“Without the United States, everything in the world would die. It’s true. It’s so powerful. It’s so big,” Trump proclaimed. “I made it really big in the first four years. Then it started to degenerate with what this Biden administration did. But we’ve built it up again. We’re the hottest. We’re the best. We’re the best financially. The money coming in is so big because of tariffs… tariffs make us great negotiators.”

The President went so far as to claim that his tariff policies had directly helped him “settle seven wars,” many of which, he said, were rooted in trade disputes.

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Trump Justifies Tariffs on India

Trump also turned his focus to India, defending his administration’s imposition of a 50% tariff on Indian imports, which was further increased by an additional 25% due to New Delhi’s purchase of Russian crude oil.

“For years, our relationship with India was one-sided,” Trump said, accusing New Delhi of charging some of the “highest tariffs in the world” while enjoying easy access to US markets.

“We get along with India very well. But they were charging us tremendous tariffs. The highest in the world. Meanwhile, we weren’t charging them. It was foolish. They sent everything they made into our country, but we couldn’t send anything back because of 100% tariffs,” he said.

Citing the example of Harley Davidson, Trump argued that the iconic American motorcycle brand was crippled by India’s 200% import tariffs. “Harley Davidson couldn’t sell in India. They were forced to set up a plant there, just to survive,” he added.

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Economic Ripples and Global Uncertainty

The White House’s latest tariff stance has stirred fresh economic tensions, leaving New Delhi navigating a volatile global trade environment. Analysts fear that the move could strain bilateral trade ties at a time when India is already grappling with the economic aftershocks of fluctuating oil imports and global supply chain disruptions.

Trump, however, appeared undeterred by criticism, maintaining that tariffs are not only boosting America’s financial health but also positioning it as the dominant power at negotiation tables worldwide.

As he summed it up in his speech: “Tariffs are the greatest negotiating tool. They make America strong.”