New Delhi: Former U.S. President Donald Trump has once again taken credit for brokering peace between India and Pakistan, attributing the de-escalation earlier this year to his aggressive tariff threats. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One en route to the Middle East, Trump claimed that his economic pressure tactics were instrumental in preventing a nuclear conflict in South Asia.
“I settled a few of the wars just based on tariffs,” Trump said. “For example, between India and Pakistan. I told them, if you guys want to fight a war and you have nuclear weapons, I’m going to put big tariffs on you both 100%, 150%, even 200%. I had that thing settled in 24 hours.”
The remarks referred to the ceasefire announced in May 2025 following Operation Sindoor, a period of heightened military tension between India and Pakistan. Trump asserted that without the threat of tariffs, the conflict would have escalated further.
However, New Delhi has consistently dismissed any claims of third-party involvement in the ceasefire, maintaining that the truce was the result of direct military-to-military communication between the two nations. Indian officials have reiterated that the United States played no role in mediating the cessation of hostilities.
Trump, who has long touted his negotiation skills, suggested that his next diplomatic effort may be focused on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, where tensions have flared in recent months.
“This will be my eighth war that I have solved,” Trump said. “And I hear there’s a war now going on between Pakistan and Afghanistan. I said it’ll have to wait until I get back. I’m doing another one. Because I’m good at solving wars.”
The statement came as he was heading to Egypt for a peace summit expected to finalize a truce between Israel and Hamas. Trump has framed his international legacy around resolving global conflicts, often citing his unconventional approach to diplomacy, particularly through economic pressure.
Push for Nobel Peace Prize Recognition
In the same conversation with reporters, Trump addressed his absence from the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize nominations, suggesting his peacemaking efforts warrant recognition, even outside the traditional eligibility window.
“Some of these wars went on for 31, 32, even 37 years, and I got them done in a day,” he said. “It’s an honour to do it. I saved millions of lives.”
He acknowledged the Nobel Peace Prize decision for 2024 had already been made, but hinted that an exception should be considered due to the significance of the events in 2025. Despite his push for recognition, Trump added, “I did not do this for the Nobel. I did this to save lives.”
