News Desk: In a bold diplomatic move, U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday hosted Pakistan’s Army Chief General Asim Munir at the White House, just days after Munir publicly endorsed Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to ease tensions between India and Pakistan.
The high-profile meeting came shortly after a phone call between Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday night. Addressing reporters ahead of a private lunch with Munir, Trump claimed credit for averting a possible war between the two nuclear neighbors following the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir last month.
“I stopped a war,” Trump declared. “They were going at it — both are nuclear countries. I got it stopped.”
Trump praised both leaders for their roles in preventing escalation. “This man,” he said, pointing to Munir, “was extremely influential in stopping it from the Pakistan side. Modi from the India side, and others.”
The President also emphasized his admiration for both nations. “I love Pakistan. I think Modi is a fantastic man. I spoke to him last night. We’re going to make a trade deal with Modi of India,” Trump announced during an event on the South Lawn.
VIDEO | Washington DC: On being asked about his meeting with Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir, US President Donald Trump (@POTUS) says, “I stopped the war between India and Pakistan. I love Pakistan, and Modi is a fantastic man. I spoke to him last night and we will make a trade… pic.twitter.com/iFfXeaRDy1
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 18, 2025
While India maintains that the ceasefire was the outcome of direct military-level talks between New Delhi and Islamabad, Trump continues to assert that it was his intervention that brought the two sides back from the brink.
The optics of the Trump-Munir meeting are likely to be closely watched in New Delhi, especially amid deepening U.S.-India strategic ties aimed at countering China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific.
President Trump’s latest diplomatic engagement underscores his active role in shaping regional affairs, even as his unconventional style continues to stir debate on the global stage.
