Washington: US President Donald Trump has once again highlighted his role in diffusing tensions between India and Pakistan during his tenure, claiming that his direct intervention helped prevent a potential nuclear standoff.
Speaking at a recent event, Trump recounted conversations he said he had with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistani leaders over trade issues that soon turned into discussions about the long-standing hostility between the two South Asian neighbors.
“I was talking to Prime Minister Modi and then to Pakistan. I asked both what was happening between them because the hatred was tremendous — this has been going on for centuries under different names,” Trump said.
He went on to claim that when Pakistan raised the issue of trade, he refused to negotiate until both sides eased tensions. “I told them, if you don’t resolve this, I don’t want to make a trade deal with you. You’re going to end up in a nuclear war. I warned that if things didn’t settle, we’d impose tariffs so high their heads would spin.”
According to Trump, within a matter of hours, both nations took steps to de-escalate. “It was done within about five hours. Maybe it could start again, I don’t know, but if it does, I’ll stop it. We can’t let such things happen,” he added.
Trump has previously positioned himself as a mediator who played a behind-the-scenes role in preventing conflicts, though his claims often face scrutiny from analysts who note that tensions between India and Pakistan are shaped by complex geopolitical factors.