Trump yet again claims he ended India-Pakistan hostilities, suggesting it was ‘through trade’

President Donald Trump speaks as he meets with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office of the White House on May 21, 2025.
| Photo Credit: AP

U.S. President Donald Trump, on Wednesday (May 21, 2025), again claimed he had settled the recent hostilities between India and Pakistan following the killing of civilians in Pahalgam on April 22. Mr. Trump went on to suggest that trade was involved in the process. The remark was made in passing during a largely confrontational bilateral meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office.

“If you take a look at what we did with Pakistan and India…we settled that whole…and I think I settled it through trade,” Mr Trump said, adding, that the U.S. was “doing a big deal” with India. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal held bilateral talks with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to expedite the first phase of a trade agreement with the U.S.

The government has, however, repeatedly denied U.S. involvement. Earlier this week, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told a Parliamentary panel that Washington was “neither involved nor informed” about the cessation of hostilities. Responding to why Mr Trump was the first to announce that a ceasefire had been reached, Mr Misri had said that conversations held with the U.S. were routine.

Trumpeting claims: On the U.S. President’s claims, India and Pakistan 

“Somebody had to be the last one to shoot. But the shooting was getting worse and worse, bigger and bigger, deeper and deeper into the countries,” Mr. Trump said.

Walks back claim

He then appeared to jestingly walk back his claim.

“I hate to say we got it settled, and then two days later, something happens, and they say it’s Trump’s fault,” he said.

Mr. Trump described the “leader of Pakistan” as “great” and also Prime Minister Narendra Modi as “a great guy”, and he and Mr. Ramaphosa agreed that Mr. Modi was a mutual friend.

Mr. Trump then went on to describe how he was trying to settle the war between Russia and Ukraine.