United States President Donald Trump has once again highlighted tariffs as a central pillar of his economic and foreign policy, reinforcing his self-proclaimed title of “tariff man,” a stance he has maintained since his first term in office.
Speaking to ANI, Associate Professor Paul Poast of the University of Chicago noted, “Trump loves tariffs. Going back to his first term, he labelled himself a tariff man. Throughout his campaign and into this term, he has consistently positioned tariffs as a policy priority.”
Poast explained that Trump’s recent emphasis on tariffs is tied to his criticism of countries such as India, China, and several in Europe that continue to purchase Russian oil despite the ongoing Ukraine war. “This has allowed Russia to keep funding its war machine,” he said.
On India’s approach, Poast described it as pragmatic: “India has taken advantage of discounted Russian oil without endorsing the war. It’s a clear example of realpolitik.”
He added that such global energy dynamics have only strengthened Trump’s resolve: “The best way to stop Russia, in his view, is to completely cut off its oil revenue.”
At the 80th United Nations General Assembly, Trump warned that the US was prepared to impose “a very strong round of powerful tariffs” if Russia refused to end the war, calling Moscow’s actions damaging to its own global image.
Expressing disappointment in Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump said during a joint press conference with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer last week, “He has let me down. He’s killing many people, and Russian soldiers are being lost at a higher rate than Ukrainian soldiers.”
Trump has also urged NATO and European nations to take stronger steps, criticising Europe for continuing energy imports from Russia. “Europe is my friend, but they’re still buying oil from Moscow. Their sanctions are not tough enough, and I want them to match the level of action I’m prepared to take,” he remarked.
