On Friday, President Donald Trump announced his plan to nominate Sergio Gor, one of his closest aides, to be the next U.S. ambassador to India. This nomination comes at a time of strained relations between the two countries, exacerbated by the planned doubling of U.S. tariffs on Indian goods next week.
In a post on his Truth Social account, Trump stated that Gor, who currently serves as the director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office, will also act as a special envoy for South and Central Asian affairs. Gor will remain in his current position until the U.S. Senate confirms his new role.
Trump praised Gor, saying, “Sergio is a great friend, who has been at my side for many years. He worked on my Historic Presidential Campaigns, published my Best Selling Books, and ran one of the biggest Super PACs, which supported our Movement.” He added that for “the most populous Region in the World, it is important that I have someone I can fully trust to deliver on my Agenda and help us, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.”
U.S.-India relations have been strained by Trump’s trade policies. Talks to lower tariff rates collapsed after India, the world’s fifth-largest economy, resisted opening its large agricultural and dairy sectors. The annual bilateral trade between the two countries is valued at more than $190 billion.
In a post on X, Gor thanked Trump for the nomination, calling it “the honour of my life” to represent the United States in this new role. Trump had initially imposed additional tariffs of 25% on imports from India and then announced they would be doubled to 50% starting August 27. This move was framed as punishment for New Delhi’s increased purchases of Russian oil. Notably, Trump has not imposed similar tariffs on goods from China, which is the largest purchaser of Russian oil.
On Tuesday, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent accused India of “profiteering” from its sharply increased purchases of Russian oil during the war in Ukraine, calling the situation “unacceptable.” Bessent noted in an interview with CNBC that Russian oil now accounts for 42% of India’s total oil purchases, up from less than 1% before the war. Meanwhile, China has increased its share to 16% from 13%.
Indian Trade Minister Piyush Goyal stated on Friday that India is approaching its future trade relationship with the U.S. with a “very open mind,” while emphasizing the important nature of the relationship to both countries. Trump’s announcement about Gor’s nomination came shortly after the abrupt cancellation of a planned visit by U.S. trade negotiators to New Delhi from August 25-29.
