Trump revises earlier statements, saying his intervention halted conflict after eight planes were downed.
US President Donald Trump has once again reignited debate over his long-standing claim of mediating peace between India and Pakistan, adding a new detail that eight planes were shot down during the conflict before his alleged intervention led to a ceasefire.
Trump Speaks at Florida Event
Speaking at an event in Miami, Florida, on Wednesday, Trump revisited one of his most controversial foreign policy anecdotes. The former president claimed that during his administration, both India and Pakistan were on the brink of war until he personally stepped in and forced them to agree to peace by threatening trade restrictions.
“You know, I was in the midst of a trade deal with both of them India and Pakistan and then I read they were going to war,” Trump said, according to US media reports. “I said, ‘This is war, and they are going at it. They’re both nuclear powers.’ So, I told them, ‘I’m not going to make any trade deals with you guys unless you agree to peace.’”
‘Eight Planes Were Shot Down’
Trump, who has repeatedly claimed credit for mediating between the two South Asian rivals, added a new element this time, saying that a total of eight planes were shot down during the confrontation one more than in his previous versions of the story, where he claimed seven planes had been downed.
According to Trump, his ultimatum shocked both governments. “The two nations said, ‘No way. This has nothing to do with trade.’ I said, ‘It has everything to do. You’re nuclear powers. We’re not trading if you’re at war,’” he recalled.
He further claimed that his intervention took place on May 9, and that the following day, May 10, 2025, both countries announced a ceasefire agreement. “A day later, I get a call saying, ‘We made peace.’ They stopped. I said, ‘Thank you. Let’s do trade,’” Trump said to applause from the audience.
Trade Tariffs as a Diplomatic Tool
Trump used the story to emphasize his stance on using tariffs as leverage in foreign diplomacy. He claimed that his tariff policies played a key role in forcing both nations to de-escalate, boasting, “Tariffs did that. Without tariffs, that would have never happened.”
During his tenure, Trump had imposed a 25 percent tariff on India in retaliation for what he described as “the highest tariffs on US goods” and a 19 percent tariff on Pakistan. He later said he added an additional 25 percent on India, raising the total to 50 percent, as a penalty for New Delhi’s purchase of Russian oil and participation in the BRICS bloc, which he accused of promoting anti-American sentiment.
A Familiar and Disputed Claim
Trump’s latest remarks appear to build on previous assertions made during and after his presidency, in which he claimed to have personally prevented military escalation between India and Pakistan. The claims have never been confirmed by either government, and both New Delhi and Islamabad have historically denied that any external party mediated their ceasefire arrangements.
Nevertheless, Trump’s narrative continues to resurface, with each retelling adding new layers and, in this case, one more aircraft.