The prominent US economist and professor at Columbia University, Jeffrey Sachs, has sharply criticized former President Donald Trump’s decision to impose steep tariffs on India, calling it a disastrous misstep in American foreign policy. Speaking on Breaking Points with Krystal Ball and Saagar Enjeti, Sachs described the 50 percent punitive tariffs as “sabotage, not strategy,” arguing that they inflicted lasting damage on Washington’s credibility in Asia.

According to Sachs, the 25 percent penalty tariff placed specifically on Indian imports backfired dramatically by unifying the BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—more tightly than ever before. “Donald Trump was the great unifier of the BRICS,” he remarked, noting how the move catalyzed coordination within the grouping, directly undermining US strategic interests.

The economist stressed that the tariffs had “zero practical impact” on negotiations, achieving no leverage for Washington while shattering trust with New Delhi, a country the US had long sought to cultivate as a strategic partner. “Even if the tariff is lifted, India has learned a lesson: you cannot trust the United States,” he warned.

Sachs did not spare Trump’s political allies and advisers. He singled out South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham as “the worst senator in the US,” calling him “a fool.” Likewise, he dismissed Trump’s former trade adviser, Peter Navarro as “probably the most incompetent PhD” from his former academic department, accusing him of misunderstanding basic economics.

Sachs concluded that the tariffs not only weakened US diplomacy but also emboldened global alliances opposed to American dominance. “What was achieved? Nothing. What was lost? Years of careful diplomacy with India,” he said. His remarks highlight growing concern that Trump’s trade policies may have delivered strategic gains, just not for the United States.

The prominent US economist and professor at Columbia University, Jeffrey Sachs, has sharply criticized former President Donald Trump’s decision to impose steep tariffs on India, calling it a disastrous misstep in American foreign policy. Speaking on Breaking Points with Krystal Ball and Saagar Enjeti, Sachs described the 50 percent punitive tariffs as “sabotage, not strategy,” arguing that they inflicted lasting damage on Washington’s credibility in Asia.

According to Sachs, the 25 percent penalty tariff placed specifically on Indian imports backfired dramatically by unifying the BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—more tightly than ever before. “Donald Trump was the great unifier of the BRICS,” he remarked, noting how the move catalyzed coordination within the grouping, directly undermining US strategic interests.

The economist stressed that the tariffs had “zero practical impact” on negotiations, achieving no leverage for Washington while shattering trust with New Delhi, a country the US had long sought to cultivate as a strategic partner. “Even if the tariff is lifted, India has learned a lesson: you cannot trust the United States,” he warned.

Sachs did not spare Trump’s political allies and advisers. He singled out South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham as “the worst senator in the US,” calling him “a fool.” Likewise, he dismissed Trump’s former trade adviser, Peter Navarro as “probably the most incompetent PhD” from his former academic department, accusing him of misunderstanding basic economics.

Sachs concluded that the tariffs not only weakened US diplomacy but also emboldened global alliances opposed to American dominance. “What was achieved? Nothing. What was lost? Years of careful diplomacy with India,” he said. His remarks highlight growing concern that Trump’s trade policies may have delivered strategic gains, just not for the United States.