US President Donald Trump has once again asserted that he successfully defused military tensions between nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan in May of this year by threatening to impose massive 350 per cent tariffs on both countries.
This claim, which Trump has repeated more than 60 times despite consistent denials from New Delhi, was made on Wednesday at the US-Saudi Investment Forum.
🗣️ Trump’s Claim: Trade as a Peacemaker
Speaking at the forum, Trump stated he used the power of trade and tariffs to resolve the conflict, a method he claims has settled five out of eight disputes under his tenure.
- The Threat: Trump claimed he told India and Pakistan they were free to “go at it” with nuclear weapons, but he would immediately impose a 350 per cent tariff on each nation, thereby halting all trade with the United States.
- The Rationale: He explained his action was necessary to prevent the killing of millions and to stop “the nuclear dust floating over Los Angeles.”
- The Calls: Trump claimed that after the tariff threat, he received a call from Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif thanking him for saving millions of lives. Following this, he asserted he “got a call from Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying, ‘we’re done’ [with going to war],” to which Trump replied, “Let’s make a deal.”
🇮🇳 India’s Consistent Denial
The President’s assertion that he “helped settle” the tensions is directly contradicted by India’s official stance:
- No Third-Party Role: New Delhi has repeatedly and consistently rejected any claim of foreign mediation in the matter.
- Direct Talks: India maintains that the understanding on the cessation of hostilities with Pakistan was reached on May 10 following direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two militaries.
- Conflict Context: The de-escalation followed a period of heightened tensions after India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in response to the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians.
Trump has been making this claim publicly since May 10, when he first posted on social media that a “full and immediate” ceasefire had been agreed upon after mediation by Washington.