The month of February could not have been worse for US President Donald Trump, California Governor Newsom asserts on the global platform as the new progressive face of the Democratic Party. His commitment for a cleaner environment gets the support of his peers in other states as well as America’s western allies.
With the US Supreme Court striking down Trump’s much-trumpeted Tariff agenda on Friday, February 20, and the emergence of California Governor Newsom, an alternative national political figure of the Democratic Party, perhaps, a possible nominee for the White House in the presidential poll scheduled in 2028.
In India, it is to be assessed and determined yet, the possible implications of the 6-3 decision of the apex court that the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not authorise the President to impose tariffs — a ruling with implications for trade partners worldwide.
The North Block, which houses India’s formidable finance ministry in New Delhi is expected to be in emergency gear during February -March, when Parliament is scheduled to pass the budget 2026-27.
Interestingly, US ChiefJustice John Roberts, who gave the verdict against Trump was joined by the court’s three liberal justices and two fellow conservatives, Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett. Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Brett Kavanaugh dissented.
Indian Apprehensions
It may take prolonged exchanges between the government and the Indian business to work out a revised strategy in the wake of the new judicial verdict. It may be recalled that India was subject to the reciprocal tariffs — a 26 percent rate announced on Trump’s so-called “Liberation Day” in April 2025, later adjusted to 25%. Those IEEPA-based levies are now invalidated.
In New Delhi, it is being analysed whether India, which is facing 25 percent penalty tariffs, would be able to get some relief for importing Russian oil, which the Trump Administration has been claiming that it had “fueled the war in Ukraine”. However it was removed as a part of a larger economic arrangement with Washington.
Trump’s Bitter Criticism
Earlier,this month Trump expressed his anger against the California Governor Gavin Newsom on the signing of an energy pact, a non-political environmental issue, with the British Government. It was a challenge to his policy of promoting fossil energy sources. Thus, his criticism
has triggered a political storm across the country. It was just an issue for a better environment, but Trump has made it a national issue with international ramifications.
Trump appeared to be deliberately accentuating political fever generally witnessed during presidential campaigns. The Supreme Court verdict has added a new dimension to the ongoing debates from the tariff to environmental issues.
It is being asked if Trump resorts to other laws to reintroduce the tariffs and sabotaging the sensitive issues related to the environment, he may be compromising the future of the ruling Republican Party, and could also weaken his political grip during the second half of his tenure in the White House.
The outcome of the presidential elections in 2028 appears to be uncertain for the ruling party. Trump’s impolite comments against his political rivals are also being interpreted as a part of his strategy to salvage the declining political fortune of his party as well as his personal image, but even his supporters might have to revise their respective perceptions.
With the recent comments against Newsom, perhaps, he has made him a possible Presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in 2028. It is being felt that he could have avoided his sharp criticism of the signing of the British-California Net-Zero Pact, indeed a non-political issue.
The Impact
The initial impact of the recent challenges being faced by Washington is full of caution and apprehensions. With the decision of the apex court, the political circles in the US and other world capitals are watching whether Trump would be adopting a confrontational approach or adjust his political agenda according to the changed circumstances. He has to revisit his policies for preventing further decline of the political prospects of his party. The fear of losing elections appears to have gripped the Republican Party, which might not get its candidate made to the White House.
Trump’s bitter reaction against the pact on 16 February also reflects the weakening of his personal political influence on the country’s changing political mood in recent months despite the tariff drama.
In his harsh statement, Trump has not only criticised the net-zero cooperation agreement between the UK and California, but also warned Britain against partnering with California’s Democratic Party Governor, Newsom.
Interestingly, with the signing of this agreement, California has joined several other U.S. states, including Illinois, Florida, and New York for emphasizing clean energy in signing similar agreements with foreign governments in recent years. It may be noted that since 2019, New York State has been pursuing aggressive zero-carbon goals under the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA),. It is aiming for 40 percent reduction in emissions by 2030 and at least 85% by 2050.
Trump’s Humiliation
In the complex American political scenario the victory of a Democratic Party nominee, Mamdani, on four November 2025 in the keenly contested election for the coveted post of Mayor of New York had triggered a countrywide challenge to Trump’s “regressive economic and social policies”
However, the situation could be more challenging after the Supreme Court judgement. If the victory of Mamdami, the son of Meera Nayar, a well-known film maker from New Delhi, now settled in the US was a social or ethnic issue, the new developments might have far-reaching impact in American domestic politics as well as having international ramifications.
Initially, the fact that Mandani’s mother is a Hindu and father a Muslim academic of Uganda, was being discussed that he was the first Muslim and representative of inter-racial and interfaith marriage ever elected Mayor of New York. His landslide victory despite Trump’s aggressive impolite threats have been an agenda for a common political discourse, but the new developments have become a challenge to Trump’s contemporary political narrative stressing on the America First. It is now being increasingly considered just to camouflage his pro-white and pro-Christian policy for protecting the White Christian settlers in the US.
Interestingly, in spite of Washington’s non-cooperation, the New York State has already decided to invest over 28 billion US dollars in renewable projects, mandating 100 percent
zero-emission new passenger cars by 2035, and decarbonizing buildings via heat pumps in the city, which houses the UN.
The agreement was signed by Newsom and British Energy Secretary Ed Miliband in London on February 16, is intended to “accelerate the global race for clean power and tackle the climate and nature crisis” and to promote more close link the UK’s renewable-energy sector to the Californian market,
Also, Newsom, a potential Democratic presidential contender, has recently been touring Europe. Last week, he was at the Munich Security Conference; a few weeks prior, he was in Davos, Switzerland, at the World Economic Forum.
During his tour, he even told his audience that “I hope, if there’s nothing else I can communicate today: Donald Trump is temporary. He’ll be gone in three years,”
Earlier, Trump had also claimed that “His state California has gone to hell, and his environmental work is a disaster”.
It is quite known that Trump has been a strong advocate of increasing U.S. energy production, with particular emphasis on oil, gas, coal, and nuclear energy. The United States officially left the Paris Agreement in January this year. It means, Trump has to take a new political avatar to retain his position as the world’s most powerful leader.
Gopal Misra has been associated with national and international media. His books on journalism and geo-politics have been well-appreciated. Views are personal.
