President Donald Trump has announced plans to nominate Sergio Gor, one of his closest aides, as the next U.S. ambassador to India, where he will be tasked with managing strained ties.
In his role as ambassador, he would be expected to manage fresh pressures arising from Washington’s plan to double tariffs on Indian goods next week.
Gor, who currently heads the White House Presidential Personnel Office, would also take on the role of special envoy for South and Central Asian affairs, Trump said.
He noted that Gor would continue in his present post until the Senate confirms him for the India position.
In a statement on Truth Social, Trump praised Gor as a “great friend” who had been by his side for years, highlighting his role in past campaigns, publishing Trump’s books, and leading a major political action committee backing the movement.
He added that Gor had been instrumental in staffing his second administration.
“For the most populous region in the world, it is vital that I appoint someone I can fully trust to deliver on my agenda and help us MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN,” Trump wrote.
Relations between Washington and New Delhi have deteriorated amid Trump’s trade war, with negotiations on tariff reductions collapsing after India- now the world’s fifth-largest economy refused to liberalise its agricultural and dairy markets. Annual trade between the two nations stands at over $190 billion.
In a post on X, Gor thanked Trump for the nomination, calling it “the honour of my life” to represent the United States in India.
Trump initially imposed a 25% tariff on Indian imports and has since said that this will double to 50% from 27 August in response to New Delhi’s rising purchases of Russian oil. Notably, he has not placed comparable tariffs on Chinese imports, even though China remains the largest buyer of Russian crude.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent criticised India earlier this week, accusing it of “profiteering” from discounted Russian oil during the war in Ukraine. He told CNBC that Russian crude now accounted for 42% of India’s oil imports, up from less than 1% before the conflict, while China had increased its share modestly from 13% to 16%.
India’s Trade Minister Piyush Goyal said on Friday that his country approached future trade ties with the United States with a “very open mind”, stressing the significance of the relationship for both sides.
Trump’s announcement on Gor’s nomination coincided with the sudden cancellation of a planned visit by U.S. trade negotiators to New Delhi, which had been scheduled for 25–29 August.
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Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 28 September 2026. These are the top stories making headlines in technology.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan has arrived in Washington for talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on bilateral ties and key regional and international developments, Saudi state news agency SPA reported.
U.S. President Donald Trump has denied reports that he offered Iran sanctions relief and access to frozen funds in exchange for nuclear concessions.
The European Union's decision to simultaneously advance accession talks with Ukraine, Moldova, Montenegro and Albania marks its most ambitious enlargement effort in more than two decades.
China has announced plans to complete the world's first AI-driven geological map of Mars by the end of 2028, a project that aims to reconstruct the red planet's ancient water history and introduce a Chinese framework for Martian geological time that Beijing hopes will become a new global standard.
Norway’s parliament on Wednesday began public hearings into ties between late U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and Norwegian diplomats and politicians, as authorities face questions over the impact of those relationships on the country’s foreign service.
New York prosecutors have reopened a criminal investigation into allegations that seven Cornell University fraternity members sexually assaulted a student in 2024. The case is set to be presented to a grand jury following renewed scrutiny.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has declared that Brexit has done more harm than good, while reaffirming support for Ukraine and NATO as he used his first Labour conference speech as leader to set out a new direction for Britain.
The arrival in South Korea of two North Korean soldiers captured while fighting for Russia has created a rare legal, diplomatic and humanitarian case, raising questions over their status, security and future.
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