The Energy Card: How Trump is Playing Russia and India

President Trump is skillfully playing the “energy card” in his dealings with both Russia and India, using it as a versatile tool to exert pressure, offer incentives, and reshape geopolitical alignments according to his administration’s priorities.
With India, the energy card is played as a penalty. The country’s purchase of Russian oil has been used as the justification for a massive 50% tariff, a move designed to force New Delhi to reconsider its energy suppliers and fall in line with US policy.
With Russia, the energy card is played as a prize. The potential for renewed US investment in its energy sector, spearheaded by the possible return of Exxon Mobil, is being offered as a powerful incentive to encourage cooperation on ending the war in Ukraine.
This strategic use of energy highlights its central role in the Trump administration’s transactional foreign policy. It is not just a commodity but a key lever of power, used to create leverage and drive outcomes in a high-stakes global game.