US President Donald Trump made an unusually candid remark on Tuesday, suggesting that his push to end the war in Ukraine might help him earn a place in heaven. The 79-year-old leader, often known for his defiance and bravado, struck a rare note of self-deprecation during an interview on Fox & Friends.
“I want to try and get to heaven, if possible,” Trump said with a wry smile. “I’m hearing I’m not doing well. I’m really at the bottom of the totem pole. But if I can get to heaven, this will be one of the reasons.”
His comments came just a day after he hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and several European leaders at the White House. Trump framed his mission in humanitarian terms, highlighting the devastating human toll of the conflict.
“If I can save 7,000 people a week from being killed, I think that’s a pretty,” he said, before trailing off. “We’re not losing American lives. We’re not losing American soldiers. But we’re losing Russian and Ukrainian lives, mostly soldiers, sometimes civilians, when missiles hit the wrong targets or strike cities like Kyiv and small towns.”
India-Pakistan Parallel
Trump also drew a comparison to his past role in easing tensions between India and Pakistan. “I think I saved a lot of lives with India and Pakistan. They were going at it, planes were being shot down. That could have turned into a nuclear war if I had let it go. I did that through trade,” he said.
President Trump expresses a humble admission as he works to end the war between Ukraine and Russia:
“I want to try and get to heaven… If I can get to heaven, this will be one of the reasons.” pic.twitter.com/TGC8MjOFav
— Ryann McEnany (@RyannMcEnany) August 19, 2025
Trump has often claimed credit for helping prevent escalation between the two neighbors. However, India has denied his involvement. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar previously clarified that the ceasefire was initiated after Lt. Gen. Rajiv Ghai, India’s Director General of Military Operations, received a direct call from his Pakistani counterpart. “There was no outside force,” Jaishankar said.
A Rare Reflection on Mortality
For Trump, who usually downplays his age, the reflection showed a rare sense of vulnerability. The New York Times has noted that he seldom speaks about mortality, though he has occasionally hinted at it—particularly after a health scare last summer. On his 78th birthday, he quipped, “There’s a certain point at which you don’t want to hear ‘Happy Birthday.’ You just want to pretend the day doesn’t exist.”
At a White House briefing later that day, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Trump’s remarks about heaven were genuine. “I think the president was serious,” she said, adding with a smile, “I think the president wants to get to heaven, as I hope we all do in this room.”
Trump himself has previously put it bluntly: “If I’m good, I’m going to Heaven. If I’m bad, I’m going someplace else—like over there, right?”
White House Confirms Sanctions on India
In a separate development on Tuesday, the White House announced that Trump has doubled tariffs on Indian goods, raising duties to 50 percent. The move, officials said, is part of his broader strategy to pressure Moscow into ending the war.
Leavitt described the action as both economic leverage and a symbolic gesture directed at Russia. “The president has put tremendous public pressure to bring this war to a close. He has taken actions, including sanctions on India, and made it very clear that he wants this conflict to end,” she told reporters.
VIDEO | Washington DC: Addressing a press briefing, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt refers to sanctions on India while talking about ending Russia-Ukraine war.
She says, “The President has put tremendous public pressure to bring this war to a close. He has taken… pic.twitter.com/ShZJMTO9oV
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 19, 2025
She added, “The President has made himself very clear that he wants to see this war end. He has rejected suggestions that we should wait another month before holding meetings. He wants to move forward and bring the war to an end as quickly as possible.”
This marked the first time the White House officially used the word “sanctions” in reference to India, terminology not previously used by Trump or his administration, who had until now referred to them only as tariffs.
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