On September 6, 2025, President Donald Trump posted on his social network, Truth Social:
“Looks like we’ve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest, China. May they have a long and prosperous future together!”
He accompanied the post with an image of the three leaders together, emphasizing his dismay at their apparent alignment with China, Reuters reports.
At the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit this week, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian ruler Vladimir Putin appeared alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping, showcasing a moment of unity among the three leThis display of unity among the leaders has raised concerns in Washington about emerging geopolitical alignments.nments.
However, when addressing the press later the same day, Trump backtracked slightly:
“I don’t think we have,” he said. “I’ve been very disappointed that India would be buying so much oil, as you know, from Russia. And I let them know that.”
“I’ll always be friends with Modi,” Trump told reporters on Friday. “He’s a great prime minister. He’s great. I’ll always be friends, but I just don’t like what he’s doing at this particular moment. But India and the United States have a special relationship. There’s nothing to worry about. We just have moments on occasion.”
India’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs declined to comment on the remark, and China did not offer an immediate response to Reuters.
Trade, Tariffs, and Diplomatic Fallout
Trump’s public frustration comes amid escalating tensions with India. Earlier in 2025, his administration imposed steep tariffs—a 25% “reciprocal” tariff, followed by an additional 25% penalty—bringing total duties on Indian goods to 50%.
The penalties were a response to India’s continued energy imports from Russia, despite Western sanctions against Russia for its war.
The tariffs fueled a diplomatic and trade crisis, with many analysts warning they could push India closer to both Russia and China, jeopardizing long-standing partnerships.
Europe, Oil, and Strategic Pressure
In another strategic move, Trump urged European leaders, during a “Coalition of the Willing” meeting, to:
- Completely end purchases of Russian oil, which he argued were funding Russia’s war in Ukraine.
- Apply economic pressure on China due to its support of Moscow’s military efforts.
A White House official highlighted that Europe’s continued fuel flows to Russia—worth €1.1 billion in a single year—were a key area of concern.
China, in turn, firmly rejected any economic coercion, with Foreign Ministry officials condemning Trump’s calls as “misdirected pressure.”
In a geopolitical shift, the Modi-Putin-Xi summit and Trump’s reaction reflect emerging realignments, including interpretations of a growing “axis of upheaval” between China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.
Experts warn Trump’s aggressive tariffs may have unintentionally pushed India toward deeper engagement with China, complicating U.S. efforts to counter Beijing’s influence.
Trump’s appeal to European leaders underscores reliance on transatlantic alliances to isolate Russia and pressure China—but Europe’s path forward remains uncertain.
