Ted Cruz blames Trump for stalled India deal
Internal divisions within the Donald Trump administration have come into sharp focus following the emergence of an audio recording in which Republican Senator Ted Cruz sharply criticises senior White House figures over a stalled trade agreement with India.
According to a report by Axios, Cruz, speaking during private meetings with donors, accused Vice President JD Vance, White House trade adviser Peter Navarro and “sometimes” even President Donald Trump of blocking progress on a bilateral trade deal with New Delhi. The Texas senator described ongoing “battles” with the administration to push for closer trade ties with India. The report cited nearly 10 minutes of audio recordings, dated to early and mid-2025, which were allegedly provided by a Republican source. The recordings could not be independently verified.
The leaked audio has highlighted growing cracks within the Trump administration, with Cruz openly expressing frustration over what he called a tariff-driven trade policy that he believes is damaging both US economic interests and relations with key partners like India.
Cruz, who is widely viewed as a potential contender for the 2028 presidential election, also warned donors that Trump’s aggressive tariff regime could severely hurt the US economy and even trigger impeachment proceedings. He recounted that after the administration announced sweeping tariffs in early April 2025, he and several other Republican senators held a lengthy phone call with Trump in an attempt to persuade him to reverse course.
According to Cruz, the call extended well past midnight but failed to yield results. He claimed the discussion became heated, with the president allegedly yelling and using profane language while refusing to back down.
India-US relations have taken a significant hit since Washington imposed a steep 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods, including a 25 per cent punitive levy linked to India’s continued purchases of Russian oil. Although both countries held multiple rounds of negotiations last year to finalise a bilateral trade agreement, talks stalled primarily due to US demands that India open up its farm and dairy sectors.
Beyond trade, ties between the two democracies have been strained by several contentious issues, including Trump’s claim that he helped end the India-Pakistan conflict in May last year and Washington’s revised immigration policies.
Earlier this month, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the trade deal failed to materialise because Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not initiate a call with President Trump. Trump has previously stated that Modi was aware of his displeasure over India’s Russian oil imports and warned that the US could raise tariffs on Indian goods “very quickly.”
The latest revelations underscore the uncertainty surrounding the future of India-US trade relations and reveal internal disagreements within the Trump administration over how to balance tariffs, diplomacy and strategic partnerships.
Trump extends R-Day greetings
New Delhi: US President Donald Trump on Monday greeted India on its 77th Republic Day celebrations and said United States and India share a historic bond as the world’s oldest and largest democracies. Trump’s greetings came amid continuing strain in ties between the two countries over a range of issues, including Washington’s policies on trade and tariffs. “On behalf of the people of the United States, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the government and people of India as you celebrate your 77th Republic Day,” the US president said.
“The United States and India share a historic bond as the world’s oldest and largest democracies,” he added. Trump’s message was put out on social media by the US embassy in New Delhi. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also extended greetings to India on the occasion of the Republic Day and said the two nations share a “historic bond”. “I look forward to working together to advance our shared objectives in the year ahead,” Rubio said in a statement.
US ambassador to India Sergio Gor also greeted India after attending the Republic Day celebrations at the Kartavya Path. “Happy Republic Day, India! Honored to attend the Republic Day Parade for the first time, a celebration of India’s Constitution and democratic spirit. Thrilled to see the US-made aircraft soaring in the Indian sky, a powerful symbol of the strength of the US-India strategic partnership,” he said.
