Donald Trump’s ‘Lion is Back’ poster brought down in Vadodara amid tariff dispute with US | Watch

US President Donald Trump has imposed a 50% tariff on Indian imports

Amid rising trade tensions after Washington announced a 50% tariff on Indian imports, Vadodara City Congress General Secretary Jitendra Solanki “brought down” a poster celebrating Donald Trump’s victory for his second stint as President of the United States.

According to Indian Express, the poster had been put up some time earlier this year by a resident of the city on his private property.

However, Solanki called in the local police before approaching the occupants of the private property to bring down the “Lion is Back” poster congratulating Trump. “As an Indian national, I am extremely hurt and angry at the way Donald Trump has commented about India and turned the trade tariffs into a clash,” Solanki told Indian Express.

Trump Banner Removed After Citizen Protest in Vadodara Neighborhood

In Vadodara’s Sardar Society, under Makarpura Police jurisdiction, a banner of U.S. President Donald Trump was placed atop a bungalow near Sidhvai Mata Road. On spotting it, Congress member Jitendra Solanki… pic.twitter.com/7n7QDkz1gi — Our Vadodara (@ourvadodara) August 7, 2025

According to the Congress leader, he was passing by this property, when he saw the poster congratulating Trump. “I immediately decided to approach the owner. I called the local police to be at my side. A caretaker of the property, who was present there, agreed to bring down the poster and agreed with us that the ongoing tariff clash was in a bad taste,” Solanki said.

The White House on Wednesday issued an Executive Order imposing an additional 25 percentage points in tariffs on Indian goods, raising the total levy to 50%.

Citing national security and foreign policy concerns, the US administration pointed specifically to India's ongoing imports of Russian oil.

Trump has ruled out the possibility of trade negotiations with India, until the issue of tariffs is resolved.

“No, not until we get it resolved,” Trump said in the Oval Office in response to a question on whether he expects increased trade negotiations with India since he has announced 50 per cent tariffs on the country.

Last week, Trump had announced 25 per cent reciprocal tariffs on India that came into effect from August 7. The US president also signed an executive order slapping an additional 25 per cent levy on India for New Delhi’s purchases of Russian oil, bringing the total duties to 50 per cent, among the highest imposed by the US on any country in the world.

The additional 25 per cent duty will come into effect after 21 days or August 27.

Responding to the tariffs, the Ministry of External Affairs has said that the targeting of India is "unjustified and unreasonable". “Like any major economy, India will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security,” it said.

On the current situation between India and the US, prominent Indian-American attorney Ravi Batra said “much more is at stake” amid Trump’s tariffs. He described as “unfortunate” that Russian President Vladimir Putin did not accept a ceasefire with Ukraine as wanted by Trump.