Why Are Americans Funding AI in India? Trump Advisor Peter Navarro Sparks Fresh Trade Controversy

Peter Navarro, a key trade advisor to former US President Donald Trump, has once again found himself at the center of controversy after questioning why Americans were effectively funding Artificial Intelligence services used in India and other countries. His remarks come at a time when trade relations between Washington and New Delhi remain strained and unresolved.

Navarro argued that despite having large user bases in countries such as India and china, AI platforms like ChatGPT are powered by infrastructure located in the United States. According to him, these systems rely on American land, American electricity, and American resources, raising questions about who ultimately bears the cost.

He made these comments during an interview with former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon on the platform “Real America Voice,” where he highlighted what he sees as an imbalance in how US technological resources are being utilized globally.

“Why are Americans funding AI in India?” Navarro asked, in remarks that quickly went viral online. He went on to say that ChatGPT operates on US soil and uses American electricity while serving millions of users in India, China, and other parts of the world.

Beyond artificial intelligence, Navarro also raised concerns about foreign ownership of American farmland. He claimed that overseas entities were purchasing agricultural land at prices far above its actual value, warning that such practices could worsen food inflation within the United States.

According to Navarro, unchecked foreign investment in strategic sectors such as technology infrastructure and agriculture could pose long-term risks to US economic security and domestic stability.

His remarks come against the backdrop of heightened tensions between the United States and India. The two countries are currently locked in a trade impasse following Donald Trump’s decision to impose tariffs of up to 50 percent on Indian goods, largely in response to New Delhi’s continued purchases of Russian crude oil.

Navarro’s History of Controversial Remarks on India

This is not the first time Peter Navarro has drawn criticism for his statements about India. Over the years, he has repeatedly questioned India’s manufacturing policies and trade strategies, often portraying the country as an aggressive and unfair negotiator in international trade talks.

Navarro previously accused India of indirectly supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine by continuing to import discounted Russian oil. In one particularly sharp remark, he described New Delhi as a “laundromat” for the Kremlin, a statement that generated widespread backlash.

He has also labeled India the “maharaja of tariffs,” referred to the Ukraine conflict as “Modi’s war,” and described India’s energy imports from Russia as “blood money,” intensifying diplomatic unease between the two nations.

One of his most contentious comments involved the use of a “Brahmin” analogy in reference to India’s leadership, which was widely condemned as insensitive and inappropriate.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs strongly criticized Navarro’s statements at the time, calling them unacceptable and ill-informed. The ministry stressed that such rhetoric undermines mutual respect and fails to reflect the depth, complexity, and strategic importance of the India–US relationship.

As global competition over technology, energy, and trade intensifies, Navarro’s latest remarks underscore the growing friction within US policy circles over how America’s technological dominance is shared—and whether it should continue to support a rapidly digitizing world without stricter economic safeguards.