How the Ambani Group Allegedly Courted the Trump Family During the US-India Tariff Dispute

Key Points

AMIDST THE TENSE TARIFF war between the USA and India instigated by President Donald Trump in 2025, the Ambani family’s energy business was at a disadvantage. One of the wealthiest family dynasties in Asia was caught in crosshairs. In 2025, the Trump-led administration levied 50% tariffs on India as a penalty for its heavy reliance on discounted Russian crude oil.

The move directly impacted Ambani Group’s Reliance Industries (RIL) — a leading giant in oil business — whose Jamnagar oil refinery was a massive consumer of Russian oil. RIL faced potential sanctions and severe supply chain distortions, causing the company to warn investors about global trade disturbances.

Then, in late November 2025, Anant Ambani, the scion of the Ambani Family who oversees the maneuvering of RIL’s global energy business, met the US president’s son, Donald Trump Jr. The duo’s week-long meet-up changed everything.

An investigative report by news outlet ProPublica has revealed how Ambani Group was able to secure Trump’s favor by pouring in millions of dollars into his family’s business.

See also: Israel Strikes Back At Iran After Trump Call To Avoid Retaliation

Anant Ambani and Donald Trump Jr.'s Jamnagar Meeting 

Trump Jr’s weeklong trip to Jamnagar in late November 2025 was marked by a visit to the Ambani family’s wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center ‘Vantara,’ offering prayers at local temples, and participating in cultural festivities such as playing garba. Four months later, in early 2026, a little-known American oil startup based in Texas named America First Refining (AFR) announced that it received a lofty nine-figure investment from Reliance Energy. Trump Jr. facilitated the deal, and also purchased a secret stake in AFR.

Before Trump Jr’s involvement, the firm wasn't floundering well. It had time and time again failed to raise money, missed deadlines for payments, and had multiple unsuccessful rebranding efforts. In addition, its founder has also been sued for fraud repeatedly and had a history of bankruptcy. After receiving investment from Reliance Industries, America First Refining reportedly conducted meetings with investors from Saudi Arabia . 

The deal, which aimed to establish the first major new oil refinery in the US in over 50 years, came as a surprise to energy investors.

This wasn’t the first time Trump Jr. has purchased a stake in a company. Over a span of a year and a half, he has acquired stakes in many corporations ranging from crypto startups to a drone business to a firearms retailer. Many firms who have tied with the president's son have received federal contracts from the American administration.

In December, Forbes estimated that Trump Jr.’s net worth had jumped from around $50 million to $300 million since the election. But the Forbes figures were based on the investments that have been publicly revealed. The America First Refining deal suggests there is much about the family business that remains secret.

See also: Trump’s ANWR Oil and Gas Auction Was a Bust—But Alaskan Arctic Still Faces Fossil Fuel Threat

What the Investigation Reveals About Trump Family Business Ties 

Also, in 2024, Reliance Industries paid $10 Million Dollars as “development fee” to the Trump Organization for a Mumbai project, even though no project or anything else has been announced. However, later that year, Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump attended Anant Ambani’s lavish wedding as a guest. Anant’s father, Mukesh Ambani, also attended Trump’s second Presidential inauguration ceremony.

In February 2026, Ambani Group's financial efforts seemed to have paid off, as Reliance Industries struck a deal with the United States. Reliance got a license to buy Venezuelan oil, in early March 2026. The US Treasury Department allowed a 30-day sanction for Indians to purchase Russian oil. President Trump also lessened tariffs on Indian goods.

America First Refining’s CEO, John Calce, has stated that the firm had received aid from the American administration in securing investment deals. “We have received support from the White House,” he told a local news outlet. The National Energy Dominance Council, led by the interior and energy secretaries, has “helped us with, candidly, introducing us and helping us meet some of these people overseas,” Calce said on an industry podcast.

The ProPublica investigation has revealed how the line between Trump’s personal business and official US policy have blurred during the president’s second term in office. The investigation has further underscored how firms can receive lucrative federal deals by investing in the Trump family’s many businesses.

Suggested reading: