US President Donald Trump Repeats Claim of Halting India–Pakistan Standoff

U.S. President Donald Trump has reiterated his assertion that his administration played a decisive role in preventing a military confrontation between India and Pakistan from escalating.

Speaking at a Board of Peace meeting on Thursday, Trump claimed that his threat of imposing steep tariffs helped defuse tensions, stating that he warned both nations of significant economic consequences.

Referring to remarks he attributed to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Trump said, “He said in front of our Chief of Staff that President Trump saved 25 million lives when he stopped the war between us and India. That war was raging. Planes were being shot down.”

Trump added that he personally contacted leaders of both countries, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and linked trade relations to de-escalation.

“I said, listen, I’m not doing trade deals with you two guys if you don’t settle this up,” Trump stated. He further claimed that he warned both sides of potential penalties, saying, “If you fight, I’m going to put 200 per cent tariffs on each of your countries.”

Trump also referenced alleged military losses during the confrontation, stating that multiple aircraft had been downed, though he did not provide evidence for the claim.

The remarks relate to the May 2025 India–Pakistan military tensions that followed a deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam. In response, India launched a tri-service military operation targeting sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, codenamed Operation Sindoor.

The hostilities subsided on May 10, 2025, when both sides reached what was described as a “ceasefire understanding.” Trump had at the time claimed credit for halting the conflict via a post on Truth Social.

India has consistently denied any U.S. involvement in the ceasefire process, maintaining that the de-escalation followed direct military-to-military communication initiated by Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO).

In contrast, Sharif has publicly acknowledged and praised Trump’s role on multiple occasions. Addressing the Board of Peace meeting, the Pakistani leader said Trump’s “timely and very effective intervention” helped avert significant loss of life, calling him “a man of peace.”