Chicago – November 07, 2025
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has defended President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff measures, calling them a necessary diplomatic tool and citing India’s oil purchases from Russia as a key example of how the administration uses trade policy to influence global events.
Speaking to Fox News on Thursday, Lutnick said Trump imposed tariffs to “buy justice” and pressure countries such as India to stop importing Russian oil amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. His comments came as the U.S. Supreme Court reviewed whether Trump lawfully invoked emergency powers under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to levy broad tariffs on multiple nations, including India.
According to Lutnick, limiting the president’s authority under the IEEPA would weaken U.S. leverage abroad. He expressed confidence that the court would uphold Trump’s actions, arguing that “these powers protect America” and help “make the world a safer place.”
Trump had introduced a 25% reciprocal tariff on India, followed by an additional 25% duty on its Russian oil imports, effectively doubling the rate to 50%. New Delhi condemned the move as “unfair and unreasonable,” maintaining that its energy policy is guided by national priorities and affordability for consumers.
In earlier filings to the court, the Trump administration said the tariffs were imposed to address a “national emergency” caused by Russia’s war in Ukraine and formed part of the president’s broader effort to secure peace through economic pressure. Trump has since claimed that India has agreed to scale back its oil imports from Russia, though Indian officials have not confirmed this.
