White House trade advisor Peter Navarro has once again sought to justify US President Donald Trump’s 50 percent tariffs on Indian goods. After calling India “nothing but a laundromat for the Kremlin,” Navarro has now said that “Brahmins are profiteering at the expense of the Indian people.” Navarro has been speaking against India for buying Rusiian oil amid Ukrain war, calling it ‘India’s war’.
He asked why the world’s “largest democracy” would maintain business ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Trump Tariffs and Peter Navarro’s Criticism of India
In recent weeks, Navarro has repeatedly targeted India over its imports of Russian oil as he defended Trump’s move to double tariffs. The additional 25 percent levy, on top of the existing duties, has been explained by Navarro as necessary to address India’s trade with Moscow.
Also Read: Trump Warns US Would Be “Destroyed” After Court Rules Against His Tariffs
During an interview with Fox News, Navarro was asked about ongoing trade negotiations with India. The anchor noted that China, too, was a major offender. Navarro was pressed on whether Trump’s tariffs on India were “enough to choke Vladimir Putin.”
“Brahmins profiteering at the expense of the Indian people”
— Peter Navarro, US economist and Trump’s counselor for trade.
Clearly, some self-hating Indian in their ranks is guiding them to attack India’s fault lines, or they are hand in glove with those trying to gain power… pic.twitter.com/BkcaAjSQKd
— THE SKIN DOCTOR (@theskindoctor13) September 1, 2025
Who is Peter Navarro’s Wife, Leslie LeBon?
Peter Navarro is a well-known politician in the US and is serving as a trade advisor in Trump’s second administration. Navarro was previously married to Leslie LeBon, who is an architect. The two married in 2001 before ending their marriage after two decades in 2020.
Leslie LeBon founded LeBon Architects after studying architecture from the University of California, Berkeley. The two lived in their Laguna Beach’s lower Nyes home, which was designed by Lebon. Since 2013, she has also been associated with LeBon Properties.
Peter Navarro-Leslie LeBon Divorce
According to reports, the two ended their marriage after years of legal battle while citing irreconcilable differences as the cause of the marriage.
The twi settled in 2020, and Navarro was asked to pay half of his pension benefits and an equal share of their joint bank accounts. The two, however, have not publicly revealed the cause of the divorce.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
