"Would have been a nuclear war," Trump reiterates claim of stopping India-Pak conflict
Washington DC, February 11
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday again claimed that he stopped the India-Pakistan conflict following Operation Sindoor in May 2025.
Trump said that he stopped the conflict using tariffs as a weapon.
"Look, I settled eight wars. Of the eight wars, at least six were settled because of tariffs. In other words, I said, you don't settle this war, I'm gonna charge you tariffs. Because I don't want to see people getting killed. And they said, well, what does this have to do? I said, you're gonna be charged like India and Pakistan. It would have been a nuclear war, in my opinion. They were really going at it. Ten planes were shot down. They were going at it," Trump told Fox News.
Trump stated that the Prime Minister of Pakistan reportedly acknowledged his role in preventing a nuclear war, stating that Trump "saved at least 10 million lives" by mediating tensions in the region.
Trump also said that he stopped the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which had lasted for over three decades, in one and a half days.
"You know, the prime minister of Pakistan said, President Trump saved at least 10 million lives when he got us to stop fighting because he, they're going to go nuclear, in my opinion, without tariffs. That wouldn't happen. I said to numerous of these countries, they do business with us. I said, if you're going to keep fighting Azerbaijan, you know, they were, they were fighting for, that one was going along for I think 32 years. I got it solved in one day. said, listen, you do a lot of trading with us. We're going to charge you tariffs if you don't settle. We settle that war in like one and a half days," he said.
The US President had been repeating his claims that he played a key role in helping de-escalate tensions between India and Pakistan, arguing that trade and tariffs were instrumental to the US in preventing conflicts.
India has consistently refuted Trump's claims, stating that the ceasefire was achieved bilaterally through the Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs), without third-party involvement.
India has also reiterated its long-standing position that any issues with Pakistan, including those related to Jammu and Kashmir, are to be resolved bilaterally between the two countries.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As an observer, it's interesting how different narratives emerge. India's official stance seems clear, but Trump's version certainly makes for dramatic headlines. The truth probably lies somewhere in the complex diplomatic backchannels.
Tariffs stopping a war? Sounds like an oversimplification for his base. India-Pakistan issues are deeply rooted and complex. Our government has rightly said it's a bilateral matter. No third-party mediation needed or wanted.
Whatever the external claims, the important thing is that a larger conflict was avoided. Peace is paramount for the people living in the region. Let's hope the ceasefire holds and dialogue continues.
"Saved 10 million lives"? That's a massive, unverifiable number thrown around for political mileage. Our MEA has refuted this. We should trust our own institutions over campaign trail rhetoric.
The claim about solving a 32-year conflict in a day and a half is... ambitious, to say the least. It diminishes the hard work of actual diplomats and peacemakers over decades. Simplifying war and peace to tariffs is dangerous.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.