Buffoon-in-Chief: Owaisi tears into Trump over tariffs, doesn't spare PM either

US President Donald Trump's 25 percent tariff on Indian exports has drawn sharp criticism from Asaduddin Owaisi, with the AIMIM chief calling Trump a buffoon-in-chief who is bulling the Indian government for trading with Russia.

"It’s sad to see my country’s government being bullied by a buffoon-in-chief in the White House. This tariff will come with a vague “penalty” for trading with Russia," tweeted Owaisi.

Slamming the US President for his remarks, Owaisi said that India is a sovereign country that doesn't bow before anyone.

"India is an independent sovereign country. Not a vassal state that gives salami in the Emperor’s court," said Owaisi.

Criticising Trump for imposing high tariffs on India, Owaisi termed the measures a deliberate attack on India's sovereignty and economy.

"These measures are a clear and deliberate attack on our sovereignty and economic standing. I’ve raised the issue of rising hostile trade practices against India in Parliament for years," he further tweeted.

In his tweet, Owaisi also mentioned the sectors that would be severely hit due to the high tariffs. He also said that the high tariffs would deter FDIs while damaging exports and jobs.

"These tariffs will hit Indian MSMEs, manufacturers, IT firms, service providers, and even our farmers. They’ll deter FDI, damage exports, and hurt jobs," he said.

He also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his silence on the tariff hikes by the US President.

"What’s worse is our own @narendramodi’s silence. Is this the “56-inch chest” we were promised? Or will we only see it if Trump raises tariffs to 56%?" he further wrote.

Meanwhile, Iran has come out in India's support and sharply criticised the US for imposing high tariffs on India. The Iranian Embassy in New Delhi said that the US is trying to dictate its will on independent nations and impede their growth and development.

"The United States continues to weaponise the economy and use #sanctions as tools to dictate its will on independent nations such as Iran and India and impede their growth and development. These coercive discriminatory actions violate the principles of international law and national sovereignty, representing a modern form of economic imperialism," said the Iranian embassy in India in a tweet.

Apart from imposing high tariffs, the US Department of State has also imposed sanctions on several Indian companies for importing substances such as methanol, toluene, and polyethylene between January 2024 and January 2025.

Among the Indian companies named are Kanchan Polymers, Alchemical Solutions Pvt Ltd, Ramniklal S Gosalia and Company, Jupiter Dye Chem Pvt Ltd, Global Industrial Chemicals Ltd., and Persistent Petrochem Pvt. Ltd.

"These companies have collectively imported tens of millions of dollars' worth of Iranian-origin petrochemicals," the US State Department said, citing their role in transactions that "generate billions of dollars in illicit funds for Iran's destabilising activities".

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