'Treated Unfairly': New Book Reveals Trump Insisted India Charged 175% Tariffs, Rejected US Data

Last Updated:June 25, 2026, 09:51 IST

The book suggests that Trump's tariff strategy was often driven less by technical trade statistics and more by his belief that US was being treated unfairly by trading partners

Donald Trump was so convinced that India imposed tariffs of 175 per cent on American goods that he rejected official US government data showing otherwise, according to a new book that offers a rare glimpse into decision-making inside the White House before Washington launched its tariff offensive against New Delhi.

The revelation comes from Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump, written by New York Times journalists Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan.

According to the book’s excerpts, the US President repeatedly argued that India and China were taking advantage of the United States through excessively high tariffs. In one meeting with business leaders and cabinet officials, which included leaders from IBM, Dell, HPE, HP, Qualcomm and Intel, he claimed India charged tariffs as high as 175 per cent on US products.

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The meetings took place in March 2025 as the administration was preparing its so-called “Liberation Day" tariff initiative, which would eventually lead to steep duties on imports from several countries, including India.

Trump also warned that those not building in the US will have to pay massive tariffs, adding that the US was being treated unfairly by China and India. “Those who won’t build here are going to have massive tariffs to pay…not 20 percent, like 100 percent. We’re treated so unfairly; China tariffs us over 150 to 200 percent, India 175 percent," Trump said.

What Does The Book Claim?

The authors describe a tense White House meeting where Trump demanded what he called the “real" tariff numbers for countries such as India and China.

According to the book, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick presented tariff figures compiled by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). Trump reportedly rejected the data, insisting the actual numbers were much higher and accusing officials of providing inaccurate information.

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The book claims Trump remained convinced that India’s tariffs on US goods were around 175 per cent despite official figures showing significantly lower rates.

Were India’s Tariffs Really 175%?

While India has long been criticised by successive US administrations for maintaining relatively high tariffs in some sectors, particularly agriculture and automobiles, publicly available trade data does not support a blanket 175 per cent tariff figure.

The White House itself had previously stated that India’s average agricultural tariffs were around 37 per cent, while certain products such as automobiles could attract duties exceeding 100 per cent. However, these figures are still substantially below the 175 per cent level cited by Trump.

Why Does This Matter?

The episode sheds light on how Trump’s views on trade may have shaped US policy.

The book suggests that Trump’s tariff strategy was often driven less by technical trade statistics and more by his belief that the United States was being treated unfairly by trading partners. India frequently featured in those arguments alongside China.

Those tensions later translated into policy. The Trump administration imposed tariffs on Indian goods and repeatedly cited India’s trade barriers as a major concern during bilateral negotiations.

The India-US Trade Story

The dispute over tariff numbers came during a turbulent phase in India-US economic relations.

Washington eventually imposed tariffs on Indian imports, while negotiations continued over a broader bilateral trade agreement. Both countries subsequently worked toward a framework aimed at reducing duties and expanding market access, although disagreements persisted over agriculture, market access and India’s purchase of Russian oil.

About the Author

Apoorva Misra

Apoorva Misra is a News Editor at News18.com with a keen interest in politics and current affairs. She loves uncovering fresh angles and telling stories through long-form features and explainers. Foll...Read More

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