Former US National Security Advisor John Bolton has expressed serious reservations about Sergio Gor, President Donald Trump’s nominee for the next US Ambassador to India, saying he does not believe Gor is qualified for the post.Speaking to ANI, Bolton highlighted concerns over Gor’s experience and understanding of complex international issues. He said, “I don’t think he’s qualified to be US Ambassador to India.”
Bolton also questioned Gor’s grasp of international policy, pointing to the Russian oil sanctions as an example. He noted that India and several other countries had taken advantage of loopholes in the sanctions, which were designed to reduce Russia’s revenue for funding the war in Ukraine without disrupting global oil markets and raising prices for consumers in Europe and the US. The price cap mechanism allowed purchases below the cap to be sold internationally at market rates. Bolton added that many experts argue this did not constitute a technical violation of the sanctions, but stressed that the main objective should be to avoid fueling the Russian war effort.Gor, a 38-year-old Trump confidant with direct access to the President, was promoted last month from director of presidential personnel to ambassador-designate and special envoy for South and Central Asian affairs. If confirmed, he would become the youngest US ambassador to India. He is set to appear before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday for a confirmation hearing, amid White House efforts to accelerate trade talks and stabilise US-India relations.Gor has framed his mission as managing strategic convergence amid policy divergence, emphasising the strong foundation of the US-India relationship anchored by the leadership dynamic between Trump and Prime Minister Modi.
Bolton dismisses Navarro’s anti-India remarks:
The former security advisor also criticised recent comments made by Trump’s trade adviser Peter Navarro against India. He said, “Look, Peter doesn’t know anything about world affairs. Really, he has a hard time distinguishing who America’s friends are, who America’s friends should be, and how you treat friends”. Navarro had accused India of profiting from discounted Russian crude, alleged that Indian tariffs were harming American jobs and made controversial casteist remarks alleging that “Brahmins are profiteering” from the Russian oil trade. Bolton stressed that such language does not reflect US policy and should be seen as part of the Trump administration’s unconventional approach.
