Former US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has alleged that ex-President Donald Trump weakened America’s strategic partnership with India in favor of Pakistan, driven by what he called the Trump family’s “business interests.”
Speaking on the MeidasTouch YouTube channel, Sullivan described this as “one of the most under-reported aspects” of Trump’s foreign policy. He warned that the shift damaged Washington’s credibility at a time when India was seen as a vital partner in areas such as technology, economy, talent, and countering China.
According to Sullivan, decades of bipartisan work to strengthen US-India ties had shown progress, but Trump disrupted this trajectory. He linked the shift to Pakistan’s willingness to strike business deals with ventures tied to Trump’s family, including a recent agreement between World Liberty Financial and the Pakistan Crypto Council. The deal, Sullivan noted, came just days after the Pahalgam terror attack.
Calling it a “strategic setback,” he said a robust India-US partnership is critical for American interests, yet Trump “chose Pakistan.”
Sullivan also drew global parallels, warning that allies like Germany, Japan, and Canada might see the US as unreliable. “Imagine being a close ally and realizing this could happen to you tomorrow,” he said, adding that leaders are now hedging against instability in Washington.
In another podcast with The Bulwark, Sullivan criticized America’s image abroad, saying the “US brand is in the toilet.” He stressed that global leaders are beginning to talk about “derisking” from the US, perceiving Washington itself as a disruptor.
