Overview

• Prominent conservative influencers are recasting the tariff dispute as a campaign against Indian immigration and culture, linking calls to curb H‑1B visas and student flows to online outrage that cites a fatal Florida crash involving an Indian national.
• A federal court recently ruled aspects of the tariff actions illegal, injecting legal uncertainty into the White House’s approach.
• Charlie Kirk urged “We’re full” in posts opposing more visas for Indians, Laura Ingraham warned any trade deal would demand additional visas, and Jack Posobiec called for 100% tariffs on foreign call centers.
• White House trade adviser Peter Navarro escalated the rhetoric on Fox News by invoking Indian caste language and accusing “Brahmins” of profiteering from Russian oil.
• Tensions are straining ties once cultivated by Trump and Modi, with Modi meeting Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping in China, while Indian Americans who backed Trump in 2024 describe alienation and cite threats fueled by online propaganda.