Trump rants about China filling global leadership void he created

President Donald Trump lamented Friday that the U.S. has lost India and Russia to China, expressing frustration over a geopolitical realignment that his own aggressive policies helped accelerate.

Catch up: Trump’s comments came after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Tianjin, which was Modi’s first visit to China in seven years. The meeting featured the three leaders holding hands and walking together.

“Looks like we’ve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest, China. May they have a long and prosperous future together!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. However, he backtracked on India later, telling reporters that India and the U.S. have a “special relationship” and that there is “nothing to worry about.” Modi responded on Saturday, “Deeply appreciate and fully reciprocate President Trump’s sentiments and positive assessment of our ties.”

What this means: The president’s statements suggest awareness that his hardline policies and tariff strategy are undermining U.S. interests. His 50% tariffs on Indian goods have strained bilateral relations, with economists projecting up to 2 million Indian job losses and a $37 billion cut in U.S.-bound exports. China, for its part, showcased itself as an alternative global leader through its largest-ever military parade last week, featuring advanced weaponry designed to rival American power.

The big picture: Trump’s policies appear to have driven India — traditionally a democratic partner — toward alternative links with authoritarian regimes. Unlike longtime U.S. adversaries Russia and China, India found itself lumped into this group primarily due to its Russian oil purchases amid the Ukraine conflict.

Trump’s diplomatic missteps also extend beyond trade as his attempts to claim credit for resolving India-Pakistan tensions irritated New Delhi, which has historically opposed outside intervention in Kashmir disputes. In a recent Foreign Affairs article, former Biden admin officials Kurt Campbell and Jake Sullivan warned that the U.S. “could end up driving India directly into its adversaries’ arms.”