Facing criticism and legal challenges over US President Donald Trump’s trade policies, the government authorities are now using the ‘India-Pakistan Ceasefire’ farce to justify its trade and tariff policies. The US authorities have reportedly told a court that any restriction on President Trump’s powers to use trade and tariff among other policy matters could restart the Indo-Pak conflict endangering lakhs of lives. While Trump’s trade and tariff policies have been challenged in US courts, his administration is using his Indo-Pak claim, repeatedly rejected by India, to turn the verdict in their favour.
The US court is hearing pleas against the ‘Liberation Day Tariff’. Trump had announced a broad set of import tariffs on around 60 nations on April 2, 2025, which he symbolically called ‘Liberation Day’. This included India as well.
In a signed declaration submitted before the US court by 4 key members of President Trump’s cabinet – Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and US Trade Representative Jamieson Lee Greer – the India-Pakistan claim was reiterated once again to defend the Liberation Day tariffs.
Arguing against any dilution of the presidential powers, Lutnick said, “This (India-Pakistan) ceasefire was only achieved after President Trump interceded and offered both nations trading access with the United States to avert a full-scale war. An adverse ruling that constrains presidential power in this case could lead India and Pakistan to question the validity of President Trump’s offer, threatening the security of an entire region and the lives of millions.”
Notably, Trump had on multiple occasions, reiterated that he used trade as a medium to force India and Pakistan to agree to a ceasefire. “Just days ago, my administration brokered a historic ceasefire to stop the escalating violence between India and Pakistan, and I used trade to a large extent. I said, ‘Let us make a deal. ‘ Let us not trade nuclear missiles. Let us trade the things you make so beautifully. They both have powerful, smart leaders. It all stopped. I hope it remains that way,” Trump said.
India has rejected the claim saying that the Pakistan Army’s DMO called the Indian counterpart, pleading for a ceasefire. External Affairs Ministry of India maintained that the US was categorically informed that any initiative for a ceasefire should come from Pakistan. India also rejected Trump’s claim saying that no mention of trade was made during the ceasefire related talks.
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