NEW YORK/WASHINGTON: Former U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday reiterated his claim that he helped prevent a potential armed conflict — even a “nuclear war” — between India and Pakistan by leveraging trade negotiations.
During a meeting with NATO Secretary General Rutte at the Oval Office, Trump said, “We’ve been very successful in settling wars. You had India and Pakistan, Rwanda and the Congo — conflicts that had lasted for decades.”
Referring specifically to South Asia, he added, “India and Pakistan were on the brink of a nuclear war. It could’ve happened within a week. Things were going very badly. We used trade as leverage — I said, ‘We won’t talk trade until this is resolved.’ And they settled it. Both countries had great leaders who handled it well.”
Since May 10, when Trump announced on social media that India and Pakistan had agreed to a “full and immediate” ceasefire after a “long night” of U.S.-brokered talks, he has reiterated his role in the resolution on multiple occasions.
However, the Indian government has consistently dismissed any suggestion of external mediation. According to official statements, the understanding to cease hostilities was achieved through direct communication between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan.
In a phone conversation with Trump last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly emphasized that India does not and will never accept third-party mediation. He clarified that the dialogue on military de-escalation was initiated by Pakistan.
The recent spike in tensions followed India’s launch of Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 civilian lives.
An agreement to halt hostilities was reached on May 10, after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile exchanges.
