Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One at RAF Mildenhall in the United Kingdom on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump reiterated his claim that he played a decisive role in ending the India-Pakistan conflict. He asserted that the hostilities would have escalated into a nuclear war, potentially causing the loss of millions of lives.
Trump's Claims of Averting Nuclear Catastrophe
Trump stated, "Think of it, India and Pakistan... that war was raging. They were a week into it. Eleven planes were shot down, and that war was going to go nuclear." He further claimed that Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had praised his efforts, saying, "The Prime Minister of Pakistan said President Trump saved from 30 to 50 million lives. Well, guess what? Could have been a lot more than that."
Trump's Broader Conflict Resolution Record
During the interaction, Trump also highlighted his record in resolving international conflicts, claiming he had helped settle eight wars. He cited examples including conflicts between Azerbaijan and Armenia and between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda. "I settled eight wars," Trump said, attributing his success to his unique personality and approach.
Referring to the Nobel Peace Prize, Trump noted that Venezuelan Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado had publicly stated that he deserved the award more than anyone else because of his role in resolving conflicts. "I should have won that award more than anybody who ever received the Nobel Peace Prize because nobody settled wars. I settled eight of them because of a certain type of personality I was able to settle," Trump said.
Tariffs as a Tool for Peace
In a recent interview with CNBC's Joe Kernen, Trump claimed that he had prevented a full-scale war between India and Pakistan by threatening both countries with steep tariffs. "I stopped eight wars because of tariffs - India, Pakistan... Five of the eight were stopped because of tariffs," Trump said. He elaborated, "I said, if you keep fighting, I'm going to put a 200 per cent tariff on your country. Said the same thing to the other. I did it with India and with Pakistan."
Geopolitical Context and Indian Rebuttal
The geopolitical backdrop of the confrontation dates back to the April 2024 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives. In retaliation, India launched precision strikes on Pakistan's cross-border terrorist infrastructure under 'Operation Sindoor'. Despite Trump's persistent rhetoric claiming credit for the subsequent de-escalation, New Delhi has consistently refuted any claims of American mediation.
India has firmly reiterated that the ceasefire was achieved strictly through bilateral channels between the respective Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs). This maintains India's long-standing diplomatic position that all outstanding issues with Pakistan are strictly bilateral, with no room for third-party involvement.
