'India cheats on immigration': Top Donald Trump aide escalates war of words

Stephen Miller, a top adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, has accused India of “cheating” on immigration and slamming American products with “massive” tariffs—even as it continues to buy Russian oil he says is financing the Ukraine war.

“India portrays itself as being one of our closest friends in the world; but they don't accept our products, they impose massive tariffs on us, we also know they engage in a lot of cheating on immigration policy,” Miller said on Fox News' Sunday Morning Futures.

The remarks mark one of the Trump administration’s harshest public criticisms of India, as Washington escalates pressure on New Delhi over its deepening trade and energy ties with Moscow.

“What he [Trump] said very clearly is that it is not acceptable for India to continue financing this war by purchasing the oil from Russia,” Miller added. “People will be shocked to learn that India is basically tied with China in purchasing Russian oil. That's an astonishing fact.”

Despite mounting U.S. pressure, Indian officials say they will not halt Russian crude imports. According to Bloomberg, both state-owned and private refiners are still free to buy from preferred suppliers, and no government directive has been issued to stop purchases.

Over the weekend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi defended India’s economic autonomy, calling for self-reliance amid global instability. “Now, whatever we buy, there should be only one scale: we will buy those things which have been made by the sweat of an Indian,” Modi said at a rally in Uttar Pradesh.

Trump recently imposed a 25% tariff on Indian exports and threatened further penalties if oil purchases from Russia continue. He has also lashed out at India’s participation in BRICS, accusing member states of backing “dead economies.”

While Miller emphasized Trump’s “tremendous relationship” with Modi, he warned that “all options are on the table” as Trump seeks diplomatic and financial pressure to end the war in Ukraine—India’s balancing act is now clearly in Washington’s crosshairs.