Nobel Prize for Incompetence?

The core takeaway is that Michael Rubin believes President Donald Trump deserves a Nobel Prize—not for peace, but for unwittingly bringing India and Russia closer due to what Rubin frames as the “gross incompetence” of Trump’s India policy.¹

Rubin argues that Putin’s visit, and the unmatched honours India extended to the Russian leader, were not just about genuine strategic alignment, but were also fueled by India’s unhappiness with how Trump has treated Prime Minister Modi and India more broadly.²

🇺🇸 Two Views from Washington

Rubin notes that US policy circles are split on how to view the strengthened India-Russia partnership:

1. The Trump Camp: This side views the event through the lens of “I told you so,” suggesting India’s embrace of Russia validates Trump’s pre-existing narrative, and that he will never admit fault.³

2. The Anti-Trump Camp (The ⁴65%): This majority views the deepening Russia ties as a direct “result of Donald Trump’s gross incompetence” and a reversal of US-India strategic alignment.⁵ Rubin called this undermining a “disastrous bribe” that would leave the US with a “long-term strategic deficit.” He even suggested that Trump’s policy reversals were influenced by alleged flattery or bribery attempts by countries like Pakistan, Turkey, and Qatar.⁶

 Stop Lecturing India

Perhaps the most significant part of Rubin’s criticism is his view on US foreign policy toward India’s energy needs.

Rubin stressed that Americans often fail to understand India’s basic strategic requirements.⁷ India is the most populous country, soon to be the world’s third-largest economy, and it simply “needs energy.”⁸

His message to Washington is simple: “If we don’t have an answer for that, our best approach is simply to shut up because India needs to take care of Indian security first.” He accused the US of hypocrisy, noting that Washington still buys from Russia when it suits its own interests, like nuclear fuel.⁹ If the US cannot provide India with fuel at a cheaper price and in the quantities needed, they lose the moral authority to criticize India’s purchasing decisions.

End..