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Amid suspense over the future of a trade deal between India and the US, purported leaked audio recordings of a US senator have reportedly pointed to what may be standing in the way.
Prominent US Senator Ted Cruz has reportedly blamed White House trade adviser Peter Navarro, Vice President JD Vance and President Donald Trump for holding up a trade deal with India in phone calls with donors, reported Axios.
According to the leaked audio recordings of Cruz’s phone calls, the Republican senator from Texas told supporters that he was “battling” the White House to secure a trade deal with India.
The Axios report comes amid ongoing trade negotiations between India and the US that have been underway for many months now. The talks gained more prominence after US President Donald Trump imposed additional 25% tariffs on India for doing oil trade with Russia, taking the total duties to 50%.
Cracks within Trump’s Republican party?
The report, which points to continued political challenges standing in the way of an India-US trade deal despite numerous rounds of trade talks, also reflects broader divisions within the Republican party, which was traditionally supportive of free trade prior to Donald Trump’s rise to power.
Ted Cruz reportedly also told donors that he and a number of Republican senators attempted to dissuade President Trump from launching the Liberation Day tariffs on countries around the world in April last year. Cruz warned Trump that tariffs could lead to higher prices and damage retirement savings accounts for Americans, which would lead to the Republican party losing both the House and the Senate to the opposition Democrats in the 2026 midterm elections.
Cruz is widely thought to be considering a run for the Presidency in 2028 in an effort to challenge Trump and Vance’s control over the party. In addition, the report indicates that prominent Republicans are also concerned about the possibility of losing ground to the Democratic party in the 2026 midterm elections.
What US senator said on New Delhi-Washington ties
Senator Cruz – who lost to Trump when both men ran to be the Republican party’s nominee for President in 2016 – has also been a supporter of close ties with India.
“India and America are natural allies. We are working together more and more. India is the largest democracy on the face of the earth. We’re blessed to have over a half million Indian-Americans living in the great state of Texas,” Cruz said on a visit to India in 2019.
“We share common interests and values, including standing up for human rights, free markets, and fair commerce. We also share common rivals. While China has sought to exert influence, India has resisted subjecting its economy to China, and looked beyond the region to bolster its economy. Our partnership is critically important in countering China’s aggression,” he added during that same visit, where he met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
Indian-Americans are also a key political force in Cruz’s home state of Texas. According to AAPI data, over 500,000 Indian-Americans live in the state and account for roughly 2% of the state’s population.