Former NSA Jake Sullivan Accuses Trump of Prioritising Family’s Pakistan Business Ventures Over India Relations
In a scathing criticism of former US President Donald Trump, Jake Sullivan, who was the National Security Adviser (NSA) in the Biden administration, has accused him of “abandoning” America’s strategic partnership with India to pursue his family’s business ties with Pakistan. The remarks, made during an interview with MediaTouch, have reignited the debate over the interrelationship of foreign policy and personal financial interests during Trump’s tenure.
Sullivan described Trump’s approach as a “huge strategic loss” to US national interests that undermined decades of bipartisan efforts to build closer ties with New Delhi. His remarks underscore growing concern among US policymakers that Trump’s foreign policy decisions were often more influenced by personal gains than the country’s long-term strategic priorities.
A Blow to Decades of Bipartisan Policy
For decades, US administrations—both Republican and Democrat—have sought to strengthen ties with India. The world’s largest democracy has been seen as a natural ally of the US, especially in balancing China’s growing influence in the Asia-Pacific region. From technology cooperation to defense deals, the relationship has steadily strengthened over the past 20 years.
Sullivan stressed that this bipartisan foundation is vital to America’s credibility and security strategy. “For decades now, on a bipartisan basis, the United States has been working to build our relationship with India, the world’s largest democracy—a country we should engage with on technology, talent, economics and many other issues, and also work together to counter the strategic threat from China,” he said.
The Biden-era official suggested that Trump had recklessly undermined this progress by giving undue priority to his family’s private business dealings in Pakistan. According to Sullivan, the decision to give preference to Islamabad over New Delhi eroded trust and sent damaging signals around the world about America’s reliability as a partner.
Trump, Pakistan, and Family Business Interests
Although Sullivan did not provide specific details about the Trump family’s ventures in Pakistan, his comments suggest that Trump’s business interests significantly influenced US foreign policy during his presidency. Throughout his presidency, Trump faced persistent criticism for not fully disassociating himself from the Trump Organization, raising questions of potential conflicts of interest.
By becoming more closely associated with Pakistan at the expense of souring relations with India, Trump may have been seeking to protect or expand family business opportunities. Sullivan was clear in his assessment: “Trump has sidelined relations with India because of Pakistan’s willingness to make business deals with the Trump family.”
This allegation bolsters the broader narrative of Trump’s foreign policy being transactional and often tied to personal or family financial gains. The implications for India, which had invested heavily in building closer ties with Washington, were particularly damaging.
Undermining US Allies’ Trust
Beyond the immediate fallout in South Asia, Sullivan stressed that Trump’s actions have reverberations around the world. “Germany or Japan will look at that (India) and say tomorrow we can do the same. America’s friends will think there’s no way they can trust us,” he said.
Sullivan argued that the message was clear: if Washington could abandon India—long seen as the cornerstone of its Indo-Pacific strategy—other allies would question whether they could also be sidelined if it suited the US president’s personal or financial interests.
Sullivan warned that this notion undermines a central pillar of US diplomacy: trust. “Our word should be our bond. We should be true to our word. Our friends should be able to trust us, and that’s always been our strength,” he told MediaTouch.
America’s credibility, built over decades of hard work through international agreements and defense partnerships, is weakened if allies suspect that American commitments are negotiable based on personal agendas.
Strained US–India Relations Under Trump
Sullivan’s remarks come at a time when US-India relations are already strained. During Trump’s presidency, tensions escalated over trade issues, tariffs and energy imports. Trump imposed a 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods, including a 25 per cent penalty on India’s purchase of Russian oil. These measures were seen as draconian and detrimental to bilateral economic cooperation.
Though Trump developed a personal relationship with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi—whom he hosted at large rallies in Houston and Ahmedabad—policy differences often overshadowed the charm of friendship. Tariffs, in particular, hit Indian exporters hard, while US restrictions on technology transfers and visas further fuelled tensions.
Now, with Sullivan’s allegations of favouritism towards Pakistan, critics argue that Trump’s actions went beyond policy differences and entered territory that threatened the broader strategic interests of the US.
Pakistan’s Role in Trump’s Strategy
Pakistan has historically had a complex relationship with the United States, marked by cooperation in counterterrorism efforts alongside tensions over security, militancy, and regional stability. Under Trump, Washington oscillated between criticism and engagement with Islamabad.
At one point, Trump suspended security aid to Pakistan, accusing it of harboring militants. Yet he also courted Pakistani leaders, hosting Prime Minister Imran Khan at the White House in 2019. Analysts suggested at the time that Trump was attempting to secure Islamabad’s help in facilitating talks with the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Sullivan’s claim adds a new dimension to this relationship, implying that Trump’s tilt toward Pakistan may have been motivated not only by geopolitical calculations but also by private financial interests.
Implications for the Indo-Pacific Strategy
The alleged underestimation of India in favour of Pakistan has important implications for the US Indo-Pacific strategy. Washington has long viewed New Delhi as a counterweight to Beijing’s growing influence in the region. Defence cooperation, intelligence sharing and joint military exercises have expanded in recent years as the two countries seek to unite against shared security concerns.
Sullivan argued that by jeopardising this partnership, Trump not only damaged bilateral relations with India but also weakened the US’ ability to balance the rise of China. At a time when Beijing is aggressively expanding its presence in the South China Sea and along its border with India, weakening ties with New Delhi could reduce the effectiveness of US strategic planning.
Domestic and International Reactions
Sullivan’s remarks are likely to fuel ongoing debates in Washington about Trump’s foreign policy legacy and the need for stronger safeguards against conflicts of interest. Critics have long argued that Trump’s reluctance to separate his business empire from his presidency created vulnerabilities in US diplomacy.
For India, Sullivan’s comments may reinforce suspicions that Trump’s policies were unreliable and inconsistent. While New Delhi has sought to strengthen its engagement with the Biden administration, lingering distrust from the Trump years continues to influence the relationship.
Internationally, allies such as Japan, Germany, and Australia will likely watch closely how Washington addresses these allegations. If left unchallenged, such accusations risk reinforcing narratives that US foreign policy can be swayed by personal interests rather than national strategy.
Final Analysis
Jake Sullivan’s allegations against Donald Trump paint a worrying picture of US foreign policy under the former president. By prioritising his family’s business ventures in Pakistan over decades of bilateral progress with India, Trump is accused of undermining US credibility, damaging alliances and undermining strategic efforts to counter China.
Whether these claims will lead to further investigations remains to be seen, but the broader lesson is clear: foreign policy driven by personal financial interests poses serious risks to national security and global trust.
For India, the episode underscores the importance of diversifying its partnerships while continuing to engage with Washington. For the United States, it is a stark reminder that credibility—once lost—takes years to rebuild.
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