'Nominate Trump for Nobel Twice': Former US NSA John Bolton offers India a sarcastic fix to end trade dispute

Former US National Security Advisor John Bolton has taken a swipe at Donald Trump’s approach to India, suggesting Prime Minister Narendra Modi could “offer to nominate Trump twice for a Nobel Peace Prize.” The remark came while he criticised the steep US tariffs imposed on New Delhi, calling them “a mistake in the bilateral relationship.”

In an interview with NDTV, Bolton criticised Donald Trump for imposing steep tariffs on India, calling the move “a mistake in the bilateral relationship” and warning it could take time to repair the damage. His remarks came after Trump announced a 50% overall tariff hike on New Delhi, including a 25% penalty for buying Russian oil.

Trump defends tariff decision

Trump said the action was necessary because India was helping Russia continue its war in Ukraine. “India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian Oil, they are then, for much of the Oil purchased, selling it on the Open Market for big profits. They don't care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine,” he posted on Truth Social.

China spared from similar action

While China also imports Russian oil, Bolton pointed out that Beijing was not hit with the same tariffs or secondary sanctions. “India is the one government to have suffered from Trump's effort to get a ceasefire in Ukraine,” he said. Trump earlier engaged in a tariff dispute with China, imposing rates of up to 145% in April, but has avoided further escalation with Beijing.

Media criticism and Putin meeting

Earlier, Trump accused media outlets of unfair coverage ahead of his upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. He said the press would still criticise him “even if he got Moscow and Leningrad free” as part of a deal with Russia. He also targeted former officials who have become critics, calling Bolton “dumb” after the ex-adviser labelled the planned summit as a “great victory for Putin.”

Bolton warns of long-term damage

Bolton cautioned that repairing the diplomatic fallout would take time. “When you make a mistake as big as the way the White House has ended up treating India over the past 30 days, it takes a long time to restore trust and confidence,” he said.

Remarks on Pakistan and Nobel Peace Prize

Bolton also referred to Pakistan’s approach towards Trump, noting that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government and Army chief Asim Munir are “figuring out a better way to play Trump.” He added, “My only suggestion to PM Modi is he could offer to nominate Trump twice for a Nobel peace prize.” In June, Pakistan announced it would formally recommend Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for his “decisive diplomatic intervention” in the recent India-Pakistan conflict.