New Delhi/South Ayrshire, July 28: Former US President Donald Trump has once again claimed credit for averting a potential war between India and Pakistan, stating that he used the threat of halting trade negotiations to de-escalate tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
Speaking from his Turnberry golf resort in South Ayrshire, Scotland, Trump made the remarks while addressing the media alongside UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The comments came in response to a question about the Middle East, hours after the latest round of Gaza ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas collapsed.
“If I weren’t around, you would have six major wars going on – India would be fighting with Pakistan,” Trump said. He claimed he stepped in at a critical moment, warning both countries that the US would not proceed with trade deals if the threat of war persisted.
“I know the leaders of Pakistan and India very well,” Trump continued. “They were in the midst of a trade deal and talking about nuclear weapons at the same time. I said, ‘I’m not doing a trade deal with you guys if you’re going to have a war.’ That would have been a war that spread to other countries. You’d get nuclear dust blowing all over the place. Really bad things happen when that starts.”
He went on to describe his intervention as part of a broader effort that, he claimed, prevented multiple global conflicts. “Maybe we’re being a little selfish when we want to save wars too,” he added, “but we stopped a lot of wars and it’s a great honour to have done it.”
This is not the first time Trump has made such assertions. During his presidency and even after leaving office, he has repeatedly suggested that his diplomacy helped defuse tensions in South Asia. However, Indian officials have consistently refuted claims of foreign mediation.
New Delhi has maintained that the 2019 Operation Sindoor — the military response after the Pulwama terror attack — was conducted independently and without third-party involvement. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has reiterated that any matters concerning India and Pakistan are bilateral and no mediation was sought or accepted.
Analysts also point out that while tensions between the two countries did spike in 2019, especially after the Balakot airstrikes and subsequent aerial skirmishes, there has been no public evidence of Trump directly intervening or threatening to suspend trade talks as a means of de-escalation.
Political observers view Trump’s recent comments as part of his broader narrative aimed at portraying himself as a global peacekeeper — a message that aligns with his ongoing campaign rhetoric as he seeks another term in office.
However, critics argue that such statements risk oversimplifying complex geopolitical dynamics and can undermine ongoing diplomatic efforts by presenting an exaggerated version of events.
While Trump enjoys a strong base of support in the US, especially among voters who favour his transactional foreign policy style, his comments on sensitive international matters — particularly involving nations like India and Pakistan — continue to raise eyebrows both at home and abroad.
