US Congressman Ro Khanna sharply criticised President Donald Trump's handling of foreign policy on Tuesday, alleging that the war in Iran had driven up energy costs in India and that Trump's tariff policies had eroded trust with key American partners, including New Delhi.
"Donald Trump, he has really done such damage to the relationship. This is not opinion, this is fact. The war in Iran has exploded energy costs in India. You talk to people in India and they're standing in line to get natural gas. And it was totally unnecessary," Khanna told NDTV in an exclusive interview.
The Democratic lawmaker, who represents California's Silicon Valley and serves as co-chair of the Congressional India Caucus, said Trump's trade policies had inflicted broader damage beyond India.
"In the tariff war, in a totally unpredictable way, has eroded trust. But he isn't just done this to India, he's done it to Europe, he's done it to Canada, he's done it to Mexico. It has been a destructive force around the world," he said, calling for "new leadership in this country that is going to have America be respected again."
#NDTVExclusive | "Trump has damaged the relationship with India - The war in Iran has exploded energy costs in India" : US Congressman Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) pic.twitter.com/4v5OTtxSLQ
— NDTV (@ndtv) June 30, 2026
Khanna made similar remarks while addressing the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) Leadership Summit in Washington, where he argued the bilateral relationship should be rooted in shared democratic values rather than transactional interests, according to IANS.
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He accused the Trump administration of weakening America's global standing through unilateral actions and trade policies, saying "we're gonna have to rebuild our relationships around the world."
Looking ahead to upcoming elections, Khanna predicted a Democratic resurgence, saying "the Democrats are gonna win decisively in 2026 and we're gonna win in 2028," and argued that "America has a remarkable capacity for self-correction."
Describing himself as "an Indian American of Hindu faith," Khanna said his views were shaped by his grandfather's role in India's independence movement. He has previously accused Trump of jeopardising three decades of bipartisan work strengthening US-India ties, particularly over steep tariffs imposed on Indian exports.
Khanna's remarks come amid continuing friction between Washington and New Delhi over trade negotiations, even as officials on both sides have signalled that a comprehensive bilateral trade agreement is nearing completion.
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