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Trump’s former National Security Adviser John Bolton cautioned world leaders that their personal relationship with Trump won’t save them from the “worst”.
India-US ties: John Bolton says Trump’s rapport with Modi gone now (Reuters File Image)
US President Donald Trump shared a very good personal relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but “that’s gone now”, former National Security Adviser John Bolton said, while also sending across a word of caution that closer ties with the Republican “won’t protect” world leaders from the “worst”.
Bolton’s remarks came as India-US ties have seen tough days in recent weeks due to Trump’s 50% tariffs and sporadic attacks from White House adviser Peter Navarro on New Delhi’s energy and defence ties with Moscow. Trump imposed 50% levies on Indian imports in the US, dubbing it a crackdown on Russia and Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine.
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“I think Trump sees international relations through the prism of his personal relations with leaders. So if he has a good relationship with Vladimir Putin, the US has a good relationship with Russia. That’s obviously not the case,” he said in an interview with British media portal LBC.
Bolton, Trump’s NSA in his first term, has lately been critical of the US President over his tariffs and his handling of ties with India, which he said has been strained, and New Delhi has been “pushed closer” to Russia and China.
Citing Trump’s recent episode with PM Modi, the ex-US official established that sharing a personal rapport with Trump won’t shield them from the “worst”.
“Trump had a very good relationship personally with Modi. I think that’s gone now, and it’s a lesson to everybody, for example, (UK Prime Minister) Keir Starmer, that a good personal relationship may help at times, but it won’t protect you from the worst,” he said.
His reference to Starmer comes as Trump is scheduled to visit the UK from September 17 to 19. Starmer had, in February this year, during his visit to the White House, handed over a letter from King Charles III who invited Trump to the UK.
Taking to X, Bolton said that the White House has “set US-India relations back decades, pushing Modi closer to Russia and China. Beijing has cast itself as an alternative to the US and Donald Trump”.
More to follow…
About the Author
Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @MallickAshes…Read More
Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @MallickAshes… Read More
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September 05, 2025, 07:02 IST
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