Former US National Security Advisor John Bolton has used Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s China visit to launch a blistering attack on Donald Trump, warning it is “bad news for the West.”
Former US National Security Advisor John Bolton has launched a sharp attack on Donald Trump, tying Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent meeting with Xi Jinping in China to what he calls the US President’s “disastrous” trade approach. Speaking to Times Now, Bolton said PM Modi’s China visit was “bad news for the West”. “Trump’s recent moves arm the Chinese President,” he said.
‘Modi’s China visit bad news for the West. Trump’s recent moves arm Chinese President’: John Bolton takes a swipe at Donald Trump.@Rishabhmpratap joins @Prathibhatweets with more details. pic.twitter.com/Gr2ufIvaAQ
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) September 2, 2025
In a string of posts on X, Bolton argued that Trump’s tariff moves have undone years of Western efforts to pull India away from its Soviet-era alignments and warn New Delhi of Beijing’s rise.
“The West has spent decades trying to wean India away from its Cold War attachment to the Soviet Union/ Russia, and cautioning India on the threat posed by China. Donald Trump has shredded decades of efforts with his disastrous tariff policy,” Bolton wrote.
He added: “Donald Trump’s unwillingness to consider diplomatic moves in a larger strategic context has given Xi Jinping an opportunity to reset the East.”
Bolton’s comments came just after the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, where PM Modi held separate meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The Ministry of External Affairs said Modi and Xi acknowledged the stabilising role their economies play in global trade.
During his meeting with Putin, the Prime Minister underlined that India and Russia have “always stood shoulder to shoulder, even in the most challenging situations.” He stressed that the partnership remains vital for “global peace, stability and prosperity.” Putin, for his part, highlighted that 2025 marks 15 years of the India-Russia “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.”
