Trump known for U-turns, upset over China’s policies: Michael Kugelman

US President Donald Trump

South Asia analyst Michael Kugelman on Friday said that the US President Donald Trump is upset about China's policies and is also unhappy with Russia for not stoping war with Ukraine.

"U-turns are what Trump does...He is clearly upset about China's policies. The President has taken a hostile view towards Russia. He is unhappy that Russia is not taking his call to stop fighting with Ukraine," he told news agency ANI.

Kugelman further said that Trump is also unhappy with India over trade talks and not letting him take credit for playing a role in ceasefire with Pakistan.

"The fact is, India has not been lost to China. India, of course, has been inducting an effort over the last year to ease tensions with China...President Trump himself has signalled at times during his second administration that he wants to work closely with China, cooperating on peace and security. The President is only reflecting the unhappiness that he has with the Indian government on a number of issues, including India's refusal to make all concessions in trade talks and India not letting Trump take credit for him playing a role in the India-Pakistan ceasefire...Even if it's not true, as a rhetorical point it is significant," he said.

Earlier, Trump shared a photo of PM Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping standing together at the SCO summit on Truth Social and wrote: "Looks like we’ve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest, China. May they have a long and prosperous future together!"

Trump's remark comes days after Xi hosted PM Modi and Putin at the SCO Summit in Tianjin where the three leaders displayed a show of unity, in a clear message to the Unied States amid the tariff war raged by the US President.

Additionally, Kugelman said that there is a divide between the US President and his close aides.

" There is a divide between Trump and his close aides in the White House and the leaders elsewhere in the govt department. Much of the inflammatory rhetoric against India is coming from Trump and his top advisers... This doesn't help the India-US relationship at all," he said.