In a recent interview with Fox News, former U.S. President Donald Trump lauded Pakistanis as “brilliant people” and expressed a strong interest in expanding bilateral trade. He also claimed credit for de-escalating a near-nuclear conflict between Pakistan and India during a time of heightened military tensions.
Trump said his administration’s diplomatic intervention helped bring the two nuclear-armed neighbors back from the brink of war. “That was going to be a nuclear war, I think, or close… And now everyone’s happy,” he said, describing a period when both countries were rapidly escalating their military responses. “Missiles were being fired, retaliation was underway—it was getting serious.”
He credited his behind-the-scenes diplomacy and push for economic engagement as crucial tools for diffusing the crisis. “I told my people, call them up—let’s start trading immediately,” he recalled, describing his strategy to promote peace through commerce.
Trump also spoke highly of his interactions with Pakistani leaders. “I had great conversations with them. They’re brilliant people who make incredible products,” he said. “We hardly do any trade with them, but they would love to.” While highlighting the potential for stronger U.S.-Pakistan ties, Trump acknowledged the current trade volume remains low. In a verbal slip, he added, “It does take two rectangle,” seemingly intending to emphasize mutual cooperation.
In contrast, Trump criticized India’s trade policies, calling it “the country with the highest tariffs in the world.” However, he noted that India had shown a willingness to reduce these tariffs in dealings with Washington. “India… they make it almost impossible to do business,” he said. “But do you know they’re willing to cut 100% of their tariffs for the United States?”
Reflecting on his diplomatic efforts, Trump described the resolution of the standoff as one of the major successes of his presidency. “It was a bigger success than I’ll ever be given credit for,” he said. “These are major nuclear powers, and they were furious.”
He described how the conflict risked spiraling into a catastrophic nuclear exchange. “It was tit for tat. More missiles, more attacks. Everyone was saying, ‘go stronger, go harder.’ And then it reaches a point where the next step is… the ‘N’ word,” he said, referring to nuclear weapons. “The ‘N’ word in a nuclear sense—that’s the worst thing that can happen. And they were very close. The hatred was intense.”
Trump positioned trade as a key component of global stability. “I’m using trade to settle scores and to make peace,” he said, adding, “We worked not only for world peace but also for economic progress. Trade is a tool for peace.”
Timeline of the Escalation
The latest tensions between Pakistan and India erupted on April 22, when a deadly attack in the resort town of Pahalgam in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) killed 26 people. India quickly blamed Pakistan for the attack, though it did not publicly provide any evidence.
On April 23, India responded with a series of hostile actions, including suspending the 65-year-old Indus Waters Treaty, revoking visas for Pakistani citizens, shutting down the Wagah-Attari border crossing, ordering the closure of Pakistan’s High Commission in New Delhi, and scaling back diplomatic staff on both sides.
Pakistan vehemently rejected India’s allegations and, through its National Security Committee (NSC), implemented reciprocal measures. These included halting trade with India, closing Pakistani airspace to Indian flights, and other countermeasures.
Tensions reached a boiling point on May 7, when missile strikes targeted six cities in Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), destroying a mosque and killing dozens of civilians, including women and children.
In retaliation, Pakistan’s armed forces shot down several Indian aircraft, including three Rafale fighter jets, considered a crucial part of India’s air fleet. Over the next two days, India launched multiple Israeli-made drones, all of which were neutralized by Pakistan’s military.
The confrontation escalated further in the early hours of May 10, as India launched missile strikes against several Pakistani airbases. Pakistan responded with Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos, striking key Indian military sites including missile storage facilities and airbases.
By Saturday evening, President Trump announced that a ceasefire had been achieved after intense overnight diplomacy. The ceasefire was later confirmed by Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and India’s foreign secretary in separate statements.
