Trump deserves Nobel but not for peace, says former Pentagon official in biting critique

In a sharply worded assessment laced with irony, former Pentagon official Michael Rubin has said Donald Trump "deserves a Nobel Prize" — not for advancing peace, but for inadvertently strengthening the India-Russia partnership.

Rubin made the comments as Russian President Vladimir Putin wrapped up his two-day visit to India, a trip that reinforced long-standing ties between the two nations and sent ripples across Western diplomatic circles.

Speaking to ANI, Rubin said the optics of the visit were overwhelmingly positive for Moscow, noting that the level of protocol and warmth extended to Putin was “unmatched anywhere else.” He argued that Trump’s diplomatic missteps played a quiet but decisive role in driving India closer to Russia.

“I would actually argue that Donald Trump deserves a Nobel Prize for bringing India and Russia together the way he did,” he remarked, a statement delivered with clear sarcasm. Rubin also questioned how many agreements from the visit would result in tangible cooperation — and how many were fueled by India’s dissatisfaction with Trump’s treatment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and New Delhi as a whole.

Rubin framed US reactions in two sharply divided camps: one aligned with Trump’s belief that India’s growing closeness with Russia vindicates his worldview, and another — representing what he claimed was the majority of Americans — viewing the situation as the result of “gross incompetence.”

According to Rubin, Trump’s approach to India amounted to a strategic own-goal, reversing years of growing alignment between Washington and New Delhi. He accused the former president of making major foreign policy decisions based on flattery or alleged transactional interests involving Pakistan, Turkey, and Qatar.

‘Stop lecturing India’

Rubin also rejected criticism of India’s energy ties with Russia, arguing that Washington must accept New Delhi’s strategic needs.

“Indians elected Prime Minister Modi to represent Indian interests,” he said. “India is the most populous country, soon to be the world’s third-largest economy, and it needs energy.”

He questioned the moral consistency of the United States stance, pointing out that the US itself purchases Russian resources when necessary. If Washington wants India to reduce dependence on Russian oil, Rubin argued, it must offer viable alternatives — and until then, restraint is warranted.

“If we don’t have an answer for that, our best approach is simply to shut up,” Rubin said, adding that India’s immediate responsibility is its own security and economic stability.

As India walks a tightrope between global power blocs, Rubin’s comments underscore a broader strategic reality: in an increasingly fragmented world, New Delhi will chart its own path — whether Washington approves or not.