The president of the United States, Donald Trump, described the Pakistani as “brilliant people” and expressed a strong desire to expand bilateral trade, while claiming credit to avoid what he called an almost nuclear conflict between Pakistan and India.
Speaking in an interview with Fox News, Trump said his intervention helped bring the two nuclear weapons back from the edge of the war after a period of intense military escalation.
“That was going to be a nuclear war, I think, or close … and now everyone is happy,” Trump said, referring to tensions between the rivals of southern Asia. “Missiles were shooting, reprisals were underway and both parties intensified rapidly.”
Trump accredited the diplomacy behind the scene of his administration for stopping the crisis and said that they involve both parties through trade was part of their peace construction strategy.
“I told my people, call them, start operating immediately,” he said.
The president said he had “great conversations” with Pakistani leadership, expressing optimism about future cooperation. “They would love to trade. They are brilliant people and make incredible products. We don’t exchange much with them,” Trump said.
He pointed out that despite positive relations, trade between the United States and Pakistan remains limited. “We cannot forget them because it takes two rectangles,” he added, in what seemed to be a sliding of the tongue while trying to emphasize the importance of cooperation.
Trump took the opportunity to criticize the economic policies of India, calling him “the country with the highest tariffs in the world.” However, he acknowledged that India had shown preparation to reduce tariffs in her commercial treatment with Washington.
“India … make it almost impossible to do business,” Trump said. “Do you know they are willing to cut 100% of their tariffs for the United States?”
Trump characterized his diplomatic efforts as one of the most significant achievements of his presidency.
“A greater success that I will never receive credit,” he said. “Those are the main nuclear powers. Those are not just small powers and were angry.”
Reflecting on the danger of confrontation, Trump described the climb as dangerously close to a nuclear exchange.
“It was Tit for Tat. It was becoming deeper, more missiles. Everyone said ‘stronger, stronger’, to a point where the next will be, you know what? The word n,” he said.
“It is the word N. That is a very unpleasant word, right? In many ways. The word n used in a nuclear sense, that is the worst thing that can happen,” he continued. “And I think they were very close. Hate was great.”
Trump framed the episode as a case in which diplomacy, combined with economic commitment, avoided a global catastrophe.
“I am using trade to solve the scores and make peace,” he said.
Concluding the interview, Trump portrayed himself as a president who offers results. “We work not only for world peace, but also for economic progress,” he said. “Commerce is a tool for peace.”
The last climb between Pakistan and India began on April 22, when an attack in the city of Pahalgam of Iiojk Resort killed 26 people. India immediately blamed Pakistan for the incident, despite not providing public evidence.
In response, India carried out a series of hostile actions the next day of April 23, including the suspension of the 65-year-old Indus Water Treaty (IWT), canceling the visas for Pakistani citizens, closing the border crossing of Wagah-Attari, ordering the closure of Pakistan’s high commission in New Delhi, and reduction of the diplomatic staff of the crosses.
Pakistan strongly rejected the accusation, qualifying it without foundation, but took reciprocal measures through its National Security Committee (NSC). These included stopping the trade with India, closing the Pakistani airspace to the Indian aircraft and other contracts.
Tensions intensified even more in the early hours of May 7, when missile attacks hit six cities in Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), destroying a mosque and killing dozens of civilians, including women, children and elders.
In a rapid military response, Pakistan’s armed forces knocked down the Indian combat planes, including three Rafale aircraft, widely considered as a key asset of the Indian Air Force. During the next two days, India launched waves of Israeli manufacturing drones, which were also neutralized by the Pakistan army.
The confrontation intensified again in the early hours of May 10, when India attacked several Pakistani air bases with missile attacks. In retaliation, Pakistan launched the Bunyan-Un-Marshals operation, damaging Indian military facilities, including missile storage sites, air bases and other strategic objectives.
For Saturday night, the president of the United States, Donald Trump, announced that the fire had been reached after intense diplomatic efforts during the night. Minutes later, the agreement was confirmed separately by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, Ishaq Dar, and the Secretary of Foreign Affairs of India.
