Washington DC: Former US ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel has accused President Donald Trump of damaging long-standing US-India relations due to personal ego and alleged financial links involving his son and Pakistan. Speaking to news outlet MeidasTouch, Emanuel said Trump “threw away” decades of bipartisan diplomatic work that had positioned India as a key counterweight to China.
Emanuel, a Democrat and former Chicago mayor, claimed that Trump acted “out of ego and money from Pakistan,” alleging that both Trump’s son and an associate’s son received payments from the country. The remarks add to an increasingly sharp political discourse ahead of the 2028 US presidential race, in which Emanuel himself is reportedly considering a run.
‘He Threw Away 40 Years of Work’
Emanuel accused Trump of undermining US strategic goals in Asia for personal recognition. “He threw it all away because Modi would not say that the President deserves a Nobel Peace Prize for the ceasefire (with Pakistan),” Emanuel said. He argued that the US had spent 40 years strengthening ties with India across manufacturing, technology, and defence as part of a larger strategy to balance China’s rise.
“The president of the United States has literally thrown away 40 years of meticulous strategic planning and preparation and enhancing and warming the relationship through Democratic and Republican administrations, even his first administration,” Emanuel added.
Allegations of Pakistani Payments to Trump’s Associates
Emanuel further alleged that Pakistan was paying both Trump’s son and Steve Witkoff’s son, referring to Zach Witkoff, co-founder of a firm that signed a deal with the Pakistan Crypto Council in April 2025 to promote digital financial transactions. Trump’s sons, Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump, along with his son-in-law Jared Kushner, reportedly hold stakes in the company.
The claims have not been independently verified, but they come amid reports suggesting Emanuel is eyeing a presidential bid in 2028. According to The Wall Street Journal, other Democrats expected to compete include Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, former Vice President Kamala Harris, and California Governor Gavin Newsom.
