A new book claims the US president rejected official tariff data and insisted India’s duties on American goods were at least 175%.
United States President Donald Trump refused to accept his own administration’s data on Indian tariffs and lashed out at Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick for presenting figures that he believed vastly understated New Delhi’s duties on American goods, according to a new book.
Trump was convinced that India imposed tariffs of at least 175 per cent on US products, even though official figures compiled by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) showed considerably lower rates, according to Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump.
The book, written by New York Times journalists Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan, offers an account of the first 14 months of Trump’s second term and draws on extensive interviews and reporting from inside his administration.
According to the authors, the confrontation occurred as Trump and his advisers were preparing the sweeping tariffs that he would unveil as part of his “Liberation Day” trade offensive in April 2025.
“Nobody has f***ing given me any numbers. Hard facts of how much China tariffs us, how much India tariffs us. You give me bulls**t numbers,” Trump is quoted as telling his officials.
Lutnick then presented the president with the tariff figures recorded by the USTR. Instead of accepting the data, Trump reportedly accused his administration of providing him with false information.
“No, these are bullshit numbers,” Trump said, according to the book, repeatedly dismissing the government’s data as “f***ing bullshit” despite Lutnick’s attempts to explain the figures.
Trump reportedly believed that India’s tariffs on American goods were at least 175 per cent and possibly even higher.
How High Were India’s Tariffs On US Goods?
Although the 175 per cent figure cited by Trump was far above the average tariff rates recorded by US authorities, Washington has long accused India of maintaining steep duties and other barriers to American exports.
A White House fact sheet issued during the subsequent India-US trade negotiations said India had some of the highest tariffs imposed on US products by any major economy.
It claimed that Indian tariffs averaged as much as 37 per cent on agricultural products and exceeded 100 per cent on certain automobiles. The Trump administration also complained about regulatory and non-tariff barriers that it said restricted American exports.
Peter Navarro, Trump’s senior trade adviser, and considered the chief architect of Trump’s tariff strategy, later described India as the “maharaja of tariffs” while defending Washington’s aggressive trade measures against New Delhi.
From ‘Liberation Day’ To 50% Tariffs
The reported clash between Trump and Lutnick took place before Trump unveiled his “Liberation Day” tariffs on April 2, 2025, as part of an attempt to impose what he called reciprocal duties on countries that maintained trade surpluses or barriers against the United States.
India was subsequently subjected to a 25 per cent US tariff.
Relations deteriorated further in August 2025, when Trump imposed an additional 25 per cent levy over India’s continued purchase of Russian crude oil. The move raised the combined tariff on several Indian exports to 50 per cent, placing India among the countries facing Washington’s steepest trade barriers.
Trump accused New Delhi of helping finance Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine through its oil purchases. India defended its imports, arguing that its energy decisions were guided by market conditions and the need to ensure affordable supplies for its population.
The tariff dispute deepened tensions already caused by Trump’s repeated claim that he had stopped a potential war between India and Pakistan following Operation Sindoor, an assertion New Delhi rejected.
The worsening relationship also disrupted trade negotiations, with planned visits by negotiating teams being delayed or cancelled.
