US Treasury Secretary Bessent says Trump is using tariffs as a foreign policy instrument

Bessent speaking with Fox noos.

Bessent is, of course, correct here. Tariffs are increasingly being deployed for purposes beyond addressing trade imbalances, with geopolitical factors playing a growing role.

For example, the Trump administration imposed an additional 25% duty on India over its continued purchases of Russian energy and warned that China could face similar measures if it keeps buying Russian oil, as Washington intensifies pressure on Moscow to end the war in Ukraine.

These latest actions follow a politically driven 50% tariff on Brazil, despite the U.S. running a trade surplus with the country. With geopolitical developments still in flux and no clear sign of a truce, Trump’s approach underscores how trade policy is being used as a tool in broader geopolitical strategy.