US President Donald Trump has once again claimed that his imposition of tariffs provided Washington with significant diplomatic and negotiating leverage, citing it as the tool that stopped a potential conflict between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday as he departed for the Middle East to oversee the release of hostages from Gaza, the President reiterated his assertion: “Tariffs have given us diplomatic and negotiating strength. I settled a few wars just based on tariffs. For example, between India and Pakistan. I said, ‘If you guys want to fight a war and you have nuclear weapons, I am going to put big tariffs on you both, like 100 per cent, 150 per cent, and 200 per cent’.”
“I said I am putting tariffs. I had that thing settled in 24 hours. If I didn’t have tariffs, you could have never settled that war,” he added.
India’s Firm Stance on Third-Party Mediation
Crucially, New Delhi has consistently rejected this narrative. India has repeatedly and firmly stated that Washington played no brokering role in the cessation of hostilities between the Indian and Pakistani militaries.
India’s official position remains that the truce was achieved through direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the Indian and Pakistani armed forces, underscoring its long-held policy against third-party mediation in matters concerning national security and bilateral relations with Pakistan.
Ever since the announcement of the ceasefire, following heightened tensions in May, President Trump has repeatedly claimed he helped stop the conflict between the two neighbouring countries, often linking the resolution to his ‘tariff diplomacy.’
Trump Eyes Another Conflict for Resolution
The US President also used the opportunity to suggest his diplomatic prowess extends to other flashpoints. He stated that he could take up the ongoing border conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan after his return, since he is “good at solving wars.”
“This will be my eighth war that I have solved, and I hear there is a war now going on between Pakistan and Afghanistan. I said, ‘I’ll have to wait till I get back. I am doing another one. Because I am good at solving wars’,” Trump said.
Repeating his claim of resolving long-standing disputes, he remarked that it was an “honour” to have helped solve wars and save lives through his peace efforts.
Nobel Peace Prize Commentary
Trump concluded his remarks with a reference to the Nobel Peace Prize, which was recently awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, shattering his own hopes for the 2025 award.
“It’s an honour to do it. I saved millions of lives. In all fairness to the Nobel Committee, it was for 2024. This (Nobel Peace Prize) was picked for 2024. But there are those who say you could make an exception because a lot of things happened during 2025 that are done and complete and great. But I did not do this for the Nobel. I did this for saving lives,” he added.