“Tough On China In His First Tenure”: Former Indian Ambassador To The U.S. Navtej Sarna On Trump’s Victory

Former Indian Ambassador to the U.S., Navtej Sarna, on Wednesday offered insights into the potential impact of Donald Trump’s return to the presidency, discussing how his policies could shape both global dynamics and U.S.-India relations. Reflecting on Trump’s political journey, Sarna emphasized the uniqueness of Trump’s trajectory—a former President who lost re-election only to make a strong comeback.

Speaking to ANI, Sarna remarked on the election outcome, highlighting Trump’s dual victory. “The race doesn’t look as close as the polls had shown. Not only has he (Donald Trump) won the Electoral College, he’s also won the popular vote. He will go into the White House. We’ve seen four years of his presidency. He was pretty tough on China in his first tenure,” he said. Sarna noted Trump’s assertive stance against China, recalling how his previous term had marked China as America’s primary strategic competitor.

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Sarna also pointed to Trump’s consistently favorable view of India and his rapport with Prime Minister Modi, which may benefit U.S.-India relations in the new term. “It was during the Trump presidency that China was recognized as the major strategic competitor for the United States. With Russia, everybody expects that he will have a better relationship with President Putin. In the Middle East, we can only hope that things can get better. They (PM Modi and Donald Trump) have met several times during the Trump presidency. It will be much easier than the first term when they were just getting to know each other. Personal chemistry between the leaders plays a major impact. President Trump has a very positive view of India,” he added.

Meanwhile, Trump has secured well over the 270 electoral votes required for the presidency, marking only the second instance—and the first in over a century—of a leader returning to office after a previous defeat. Grover Cleveland last achieved this in 1884 and 1892.

In his address, Trump expressed gratitude to voters, pledging that he will not rest until he achieves a “strong, safe and prosperous America.”

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