'He’s arming Pakistan and punishing India': Former foreign secretary unloads on Trump’s global chaos

Former Indian foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal accused US President Donald Trump of dismantling global norms, reviving ties with anti-India elements, and using tariffs as tools of personal vendetta rather than economic logic.

Writing on X, Sibal said Trump’s actions “don’t make sense if the issue is examined rationally,” and dismissed the idea that the U.S. leader is merely unconventional or unpredictable. “He is wrecking the international system,” Sibal wrote.

Sibal cited a pattern of disruptive moves—from quitting global agreements like the Paris Climate Accord and WHO to threatening military action against Iran and even Moscow. “This is destructive and lacks coherence,” he said.

He also condemned Trump’s outreach to Pakistan, including hosting what he called a “rabid India-hating Islamist” at the White House just days after the Pahalgam terror attack. 

“Trump has himself stated that the U.S. gave Pakistan $30 billion and got lies and deceit in return,” he added. “He is courting Pakistan again. Does it make sense?”

The former diplomat slammed Trump’s use of tariffs, noting that while initially justified by trade deficits, they were later imposed on countries like Brazil, which actually have trade surpluses with the U.S. “Now he is using tariffs to punish countries whose domestic or foreign policies he doesn’t like,” Sibal said, calling the approach “irrational” and lacking rationale.

He warned that Trump’s antagonistic stance toward India could have wider consequences. “The way he is treating India will have lessons for other countries too, especially the Global South. They can see that India has done nothing to provoke the U.S.”

While urging New Delhi to push for stability in bilateral ties, Sibal was clear: “India has to put up a controlled defence against unwarranted blows.”