Trump did not believe his own government data on India’s tariff: Book reveals

United States President Donald Trump reportedly refused to accept his own administration’s data on Indian tariffs and criticised senior officials after being presented with figures that he believed significantly understated New Delhi’s duties on American goods.

The claims have been made in Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump, a new book by New York Times journalists Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan, as per reports.

The book reportedly chronicles the first 14 months of Trump’s second term and is based on interviews and reporting from within his administration.

As per the book, the disagreement took place while Trump and his advisers were preparing the sweeping tariffs that were later announced as part of his “Liberation Day” trade policy in April 2025.

The authors claim that Trump repeatedly demanded precise data on tariffs imposed by countries such as China and India on American products.

According to the book, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick presented tariff figures compiled by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). However, Trump reportedly rejected the data and accused officials of providing inaccurate information.

The book alleges that Trump was convinced India imposed tariffs of at least 175% on American goods and may have believed the rates were even higher. He reportedly dismissed the official figures despite explanations from his advisers.

US concerns over Indian tariffs

While the 175% figure cited in the book was reportedly much higher than official US estimates, Washington has long expressed concerns over India’s tariff regime and market-access barriers.

According to a White House fact sheet issued during later India-US trade discussions, the Trump administration argued that India maintained some of the highest tariffs imposed on US products among major economies.

The fact sheet reportedly stated that tariffs on agricultural goods averaged around 37%, while certain automobile imports faced duties exceeding 100%. US officials also raised concerns over regulatory restrictions and non-tariff barriers affecting American exports.

From ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs to trade negotiations

Reports suggest the disagreement over tariff figures occurred shortly before Trump announced his “Liberation Day” tariffs on April 2, 2025, a policy aimed at imposing what he described as reciprocal duties on countries with trade barriers or surpluses against the United States.

India was subsequently subjected to a 25% US tariff.

Trade tensions intensified in August 2025 when the Trump administration imposed an additional 25% tariff over India’s continued purchases of Russian crude oil. The move increased the total tariff burden on several Indian exports to 50%.

Trump had accused India of indirectly supporting Russia’s war effort through its energy purchases, while India maintained that its import decisions were driven by energy security needs and market considerations.

Interim trade framework announced

After months of negotiations, India and the United States reportedly announced a framework for an interim trade agreement in February 2026.

Under the proposed arrangement, the United States agreed to reduce its reciprocal tariff on Indian goods from 25% to 18%. The additional tariff linked to Russian oil purchases was also removed after the White House reportedly said India had agreed to discontinue such imports.

In return, India agreed to reduce or eliminate tariffs on several American industrial, food and agricultural products.

However, according to reports, the framework has not yet been fully implemented, and both countries continue to negotiate the final terms of the interim trade agreement.