US President Donald Trump has once again claimed that he played a decisive role in easing military tensions between India and Pakistan earlier this year, describing the episode as a “potential nuclear war” that was averted. The claim has been consistently rejected by India, which maintains that the ceasefire understanding was reached through direct military-level communication.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said the only major conflict he has not yet resolved is the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, while reiterating that he had helped defuse several other global disputes.
Trump Reiterates Ceasefire Claim
Trump has repeated on multiple occasions since May that Washington helped broker a “full and immediate” ceasefire between India and Pakistan following heightened hostilities. He again suggested that the situation could have escalated significantly without intervention.
The US president also made unverified references to aircraft losses during the four-day military confrontation that followed India’s Operation Sindoor, launched in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians.
India Rejects Mediation Assertion
New Delhi has categorically denied Trump’s claims of third-party mediation. The Indian government has clarified that the decision to halt hostilities was taken on May 10, following direct communication between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMO) of India and Pakistan.
Officials have reiterated that the outreach for talks was initiated by Pakistan and that no external mediation was involved in the process.
Background to the Tensions
India carried out Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The operation followed the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, which prompted strong diplomatic and military responses from New Delhi.
Since then, Trump has publicly stated more than 60 times that he helped “settle” the crisis—claims that Indian authorities have repeatedly termed inaccurate and misleading.
Aircraft Claims Also Disputed
Trump’s remarks also included assertions about multiple aircraft being shot down during the conflict. These claims resurfaced after comments attributed to an Indian defence attaché following a military-related seminar abroad.
India has officially stated that those remarks were taken out of context and that the interpretation circulating publicly misrepresented the intent of the presentation.
Focus Shifts to Russia-Ukraine War
During the same interaction, Trump said that while he believes he has helped resolve several conflicts globally, the Russia-Ukraine war remains the most challenging. He cited deep hostility between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a major obstacle to peace.
