President Donald Trump is scheduled to personally swear in Sergio Gor as the new U.S. ambassador to India on Monday, a move that comes amid growing concerns among foreign policy experts that the administration’s erratic policies have strained relations with key allies.
The White House has scheduled the Oval Office ceremony for 3 p.m. EST. The move is unusual, as the oath of office for ambassadors is typically administered by the Vice President. Observers suggest Trump’s direct involvement reflects the new envoy’s personal ties to the president rather than the administration’s commitment to India, a country Trump has frequently criticized over trade policies and tariffs.
Gor, who has already conducted a preliminary visit to New Delhi, will be tasked with stabilizing a relationship that many analysts describe as severely damaged by the president’s transactional approach. Experts like Raymond Vickery and David Price have criticized the administration for eroding decades of trust built between the two nations. They argue that while Trump often praises his personal relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his administration’s punitive measures have inflicted serious harm on the partnership.
This sentiment was echoed last week by former Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan. Speaking at a Chicago think tank, he questioned the proclaimed friendship between the leaders in light of U.S. trade actions. “Pakistan has a tariff of 19% and India has a 50% tariff. Where is the friendship between Modi and Trump that was extolled?” Rajan asked, adding, “It is a slap in the face for Modi.” He warned that even if a trade deal is reached, the U.S. risks losing India’s long-term trust.
This diplomatic friction persists despite continued military alignment, recently reinforced by the signing of a ten-year defense framework agreement between Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
However, other administration actions have alarmed strategists. Trump has repeatedly referenced a “G-2” formulation with China, appeared to sideline the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) by forgoing a leadership summit in India, and plans to avoid the upcoming G-20 meeting in South Africa.
Underscoring the administration’s unpredictable foreign policy, Gor’s swearing-in is scheduled just after Trump hosts Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaeda leader who was only recently removed from the U.S. Specially Designated Global Terrorist list.
In a recent commentary, Max Boot, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, described Trump’s foreign policy as incoherent and baffling to international leaders. He noted that the president’s decisions often seem based on whim or disinformation, suggesting the ultimate purpose may simply be “to keep the world off balance and to keep the spotlight on him.”
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