Washington, D.C.: In a rare shift of tone, U.S. President Donald Trump refrained from claiming credit for defusing tensions between India and Pakistan, instead praising both nations’ leaders for independently deciding to pull back from the brink of war.
Speaking to reporters from the Oval Office, just hours after hosting Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir for a high-profile lunch at the White House, Trump remarked that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and General Munir—both “very smart people”—chose peace over conflict, avoiding what he described as a potentially nuclear confrontation.
“I want to thank him for not going into war… and I want to thank Prime Minister Modi too. We’re working on trade deals with both India and Pakistan,” Trump said, striking a notably diplomatic tone.
He continued, “I’m happy that two very smart people, and their smart teams, decided to step back. It could have been a nuclear war. These are two massive nuclear powers.”
This is a notable departure from Trump’s previous assertions where he had repeatedly claimed to have played a central role in “settling” the India-Pakistan standoff, which eased following a ceasefire on May 10.
Trump also revealed that he had promised both countries increased U.S. trade incentives if they halted hostilities, hinting at economic diplomacy as a pressure point in private negotiations.
The shift in narrative comes after Trump’s cancelled meeting with Modi at the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada. Before flying back to Washington, Trump and Modi had a 35-minute phone call, their first official conversation since the ceasefire.
