'Disastrous Policy': Former US Commerce Secretary Slams Trump Tariffs On India
The US needs to rethink its approach to economic policy with regards to Europe and Asia, says Gina Raimondo.
Former US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo criticised President Donald Trump's reciprocal tariff policy, calling it "disastrous" and said that he was making a "big mistake" when it comes to India.
She stated that the US was "pissing off" all of its allies. "I don't think we can be effective without strong relationships with Europe, or for much of Southeast Asia for that matter," she said in an appearance at the Harvard Kennedy School's Institute of Politics.
She stated the US was making a big mistake with India. The Trump administration levied 50% reciprocal tariffs on India, citing "trade barriers" that were allegedly put into place as well as accusing the nation of "funding the war on Ukraine" by purchasing oil from Russia.
Raimondo argued that the US was reducing its power on the global stage by alienating its allies via antagonistic trade policies in the form of reciprocal tariffs.
“Among the top 20 things that I would be critical about his administration is pissing off all our allies. America first is one thing, but America alone is a disastrous policy, and America that is not a friend or ally to Europe or Japan is a weak America," Raimondo said.
The former governor of Rhode Island stated that the US needs to rethink its approach to economic policy with regards to Europe and Asia saying that maintaining economic relationships with nations from these two continents was vital for it to retain its global influence.
“I don't think we can be effective without strong relationship with Europe or south-east Asia for that matter. I wish we would have much stronger commercial relationships with Europe. I think there is so much more with Europe, southeast Asia, Japan or South Korea's economy than we are doing now,” Raimondo said.
The US may heed Raimondo's advice to a certain extent as PTI reported that the nation was "very near" to finalising a bilateral trade deal with India.
The report cited an Indian official who said the two countries seemed to be in agreement over most issues and that there are no new disagreements that may impede the progress made in the agreement.
