How Trump’s Trade Tactics Clash with Reagan’s Wisdom

KHUSHI KUMARI Image Source: X

In August 2025, President Trump announced a 25 % U.S. tariff on Indian imports—part of broader trade frictions tied to India’s Russian oil purchases and BRICS relations

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Critics argue Trump’s tariffs are driven more by politics than economics, echoing protectionism rather than pragmatic deal-making

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Ronald Reagan championed free and open markets, reducing tariffs during his presidency to boost global commerce and peace

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Trump treats trade as leverage—deploying tariffs as political tools—where Reagan aimed for liberalizing markets to foster growth

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Analysts warn that the tariffs could shave off up to 30 basis points from India’s GDP growth, especially hurting pharma and IT sectors

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Markets worldwide reacted to the tariff hike—stock futures dropped, and supply chains came under pressure amid growing uncertainty

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