Trump used tariffs to help corporate allies, push foreign deals, claims Washington Post

Donald Trump weaponized U.S. tariffs to protect corporate allies, pressure foreign governments, and advance political goals far outside trade policy — including a threat to hammer India with a 50 percent import tax unless it cut off Russian oil purchases — according to explosive internal documents obtained by The Washington Post.

The files, described by officials as “shocking” in scope, reveal that Trump’s trade team turned tariff talks into a catch-all tool of statecraft — securing business wins for favored companies, demanding foreign defense commitments, and linking market access to unrelated geopolitical objectives.

India was a prime example, the report claimed. In an eight-page list of “supplemental negotiating objectives,” U.S. officials set conditions that went well beyond tariffs and customs. New Delhi was told to halt its oil trade with Russia — which Washington says bankrolls Moscow’s war in Ukraine — or face a devastating 50 percent duty on Indian goods.

Negotiators also pushed India, along with Taiwan and Indonesia, to raise defense spending and purchase more American-made military equipment.

The documents show similar tactics deployed worldwide. Israel and Australia were urged to remove Chinese control from key ports. African and South American nations were pressed to limit Chinese telecom and military ties. In Cambodia, tariff threats were tied to U.S. Navy access at a contested port.

Corporate interests were woven directly into these negotiations. Chevron, one of the world’s largest oil producers, appeared in the objectives with a request that foreign governments avoid regulations that could harm its operations. Elon Musk’s Starlink was flagged for favorable licensing treatment abroad, even suggesting the waiving of physical-presence rules in some markets.

“This is the first time I’ve seen that type of request in a trade agreement,” former senior U.S. trade negotiator Wendy Cutler told The Post. “When you’re sitting at the negotiating table, you’re not talking about this stuff.”

U.S. Trade Representative is yet to comment on the leaked draft. It’s unclear how many proposals made it into final agreements, but the documents make clear that tariffs under Trump were more than an economic weapon, they became bargaining chips for military access, foreign policy wins, and corporate advantage.