‘Giving me false numbers’: Trump’s clash with Lutnick over India’s US tariffs revealed

US President Donald Trump reportedly clashed with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick over India’s tariffs on American goods, according to a new book by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan.

The book, titled “Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump”, claims Trump believed India’s tariffs were far higher than the figures provided by the Office of the United States Trade Representative.

According to excerpts, Trump became frustrated when Lutnick presented official tariff data, arguing that the numbers were inaccurate and accusing his officials of giving him misleading information.

Trump reportedly believed India’s duties on US products were at least 175% or higher, while some US officials had also criticised India’s tariff structure, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent referring to India as a “maharaja of tariffs.”

The White House later said India had some of the highest tariffs among major economies, citing rates averaging up to 37% on agricultural goods and exceeding 100% on some automobiles.

The disagreement came ahead of Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariff announcement, when Washington imposed a 25% tariff on Indian goods. Later, Trump added another 25% tariff over India’s continued purchase of Russian oil, taking the total tariff burden to 50%.

The move triggered fresh tensions between Washington and New Delhi, affecting trade negotiations and leading to cancelled diplomatic visits.

India and the US later announced a framework for a bilateral trade agreement on February 2, 2026, which included plans to reduce tariffs. Under the proposed deal, tariffs on Indian goods were expected to fall to 18%, while India agreed to lower duties on several US agricultural and other products.

The final implementation timeline remains unclear, though US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal have continued discussions on the agreement.