Trump Hails Modi As ‘Good Guy’ While Warning Of Swift Tariff Hike Over Russian Co-Operation

US President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, warned that tariffs on India could be raised “very quickly” if the country does not cooperate on issues related to Russian oil.

“Modi is a very good man, he is a good guy. He knew I was unhappy & it was important to make me happy. They do trade with us. We can raise tariffs very quickly & it would be very bad for them,” Trump said.

On Venezuela, Trump said elections may not happen immediately, stressing the need to stabilise the country first. “We are looking more at getting it fixed because the country is a mess. It was badly run. We are gonna have the big oil companies go in, they will fix the infrastructure. We will take care of the people,” he noted.

Speaking about oil companies entering Venezuela, Trump added, “They want to go in so badly. They are gonna do a great job for Venezuela.”

Recently, the US Embassy in India quoted Trump’s praise for India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi amid prolonged trade deal talks. In a social media post, Trump described India as “an amazing country” and said America has found “a great friend” in Modi. “

“India is home to one of the world’s oldest civilizations. It is an amazing country and an important strategic partner for America in the Indo-Pacific region. We have a great friend in PM Modi,” the President said.

These remarks come as India and the US continue extensive discussions to finalise a bilateral trade agreement. Talks began earlier this year but faced disruptions after Trump imposed tariffs on Indian imports, reaching as high as 50%.