In a Fox News interview reported on September 12, 2025, President Donald Trump said his 50% tariff on India over its purchases of Russian oil was “not an easy thing to do” and that it “causes a rift with India.” The figure described the combined tariff rate at that time—not a single new 50% oil-related charge. In February 2026, the White House announced a different tariff framework, with some changes conditional on a U.S.–India agreement.
What Trump said about the India tariff
“Look, India was their (Russia’s) biggest customer. I put a 50% tariff on India because they’re buying oil from Russia. That’s not an easy thing to do,” Trump said in a Fox News interview, according to The Indian Express on September 12, 2025. He added: “That’s a big deal. And it causes a rift with India.”
Trump was acknowledging diplomatic strain while describing the tariff as a difficult policy choice. The remarks are not, by themselves, evidence of the tariff’s economic effects or the extent of any diplomatic fallout. The cited report reproduces the remarks; it does not provide an original interview transcript.
What the 50% tariff consisted of
At the time of Trump’s September 2025 remarks, the 50% figure was the combined rate reported for Indian goods: a 25% tariff already in place plus an additional 25% tied to India’s direct or indirect imports of Russian oil. The additional measure took effect on August 27, 2025.
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| Component | What it meant in 2025 |
|---|---|
| 25% tariff | The pre-existing tariff component identified in the White House’s August 6, 2025 announcement. |
| Additional 25% | A measure tied to Indian imports of Russian oil, announced August 6 and effective August 27, 2025. |
| 50% combined rate | The reported total of those two components at the time; it was not solely the oil-related addition. |
The White House announcement said the additional measure applied on top of other applicable tariffs and set out exceptions. The stated policy rationale was that India’s oil imports undermined U.S. efforts against Russia, and that the added tariff was intended to deter support for Russia’s economy through oil purchases. That is the administration’s explanation, not independent proof of the policy’s effects. See the White House fact sheet of August 6, 2025 and the Associated Press report on the tariff taking effect August 27.
How the policy changed in 2026
The September 2025 quote describes the tariff situation at that time, not the later announced terms. On February 6, 2026, the White House announced a framework for an Interim Agreement. The joint statement said the United States would apply an 18% reciprocal tariff rate to originating Indian goods and described some further tariff removal as conditional on successful conclusion of the agreement. The framework therefore should not be read as proof that every proposed change had already been implemented.
A White House fact sheet dated February 9, 2026 said Trump had agreed to remove the additional 25% Russian-oil tariff and lower the reciprocal rate from 25% to 18%. It also said negotiations on a broader Bilateral Trade Agreement would continue, with tariff and non-tariff issues still to be addressed. These are announced terms; the cited White House materials do not provide a complete implementation audit as of October 8, 2026. The February 6 joint statement describes the framework and its conditions.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why the tariff dispute had already been building
The oil-related tariff followed earlier U.S.–India trade tensions. At a February 13, 2025 meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Trump warned that India would not be spared from higher U.S. tariffs as he discussed reciprocity and a prospective trade deal, according to the Associated Press. That earlier warning provides context for the later measures, but it was separate from the additional 25% tariff tied to Russian oil announced in August.
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What the remarks do—and do not—establish
- They establish Trump’s stated view: he described imposing the tariff as difficult and said it caused a rift with India.
- They identify the 2025 rate: the 50% figure was the reported combined rate, including the additional oil-related component.
- They do not quantify the impact: the cited sources do not establish the tariffs’ long-term economic or diplomatic effects.
- They are not a current-rate quote: the White House announced a revised framework in February 2026, including an 18% reciprocal rate and announced removal of the additional oil-related tariff, with some changes conditional on an agreement.
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