US President Donald Trump once again asserted that he single-handedly mediated peace between India and Pakistan. Speaking at the America Business Forum in Miami, he revised his previous account, claiming that eight fighter jets were downed during the brief conflict in May, not seven as he had claimed.
According to Trump, the nuclear-armed neighbours agreed to a ceasefire only after he threatened to cancel their trade deals, reported NDTV.
Trump recounted the episode and said, “I was in the midst of a trade deal with India and Pakistan, and then I read on the front page of a certain newspaper…I heard they were going to war. Seven planes were shot down, and the eighth was badly wounded. Eight planes were shot down essentially. I said, this is war, and they are going at it. They are two nuclear nations. I said, ‘I’m not going to make any trade deals with you guys unless you agree to peace.’”
He continued, describing resistance from Delhi and Islamabad, “The two nations said ‘No way. This has nothing to do…’ I said, ‘It has everything to do. You are nuclear powers. I’m not trading with you. We’re not making any deals with you if you’re at war with each other.’” Trump then claimed that the next day, both countries had called to confirm they had made peace, paving the way for trade without tariffs.
