Trump finally admits India, Pakistan leaders stopped conflict on their own

In a rare departure from his earlier claims, US President Donald Trump has for the first time acknowledged that India and Pakistan independently decided to end hostilities last month, without American mediation.

Speaking at the White House on June 18 after hosting Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, General Asim Munir, for lunch, Trump said, “Two very smart people — Prime Minister Modi and General Munir — decided not to keep going with that war. That could have been a nuclear war.”

The conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbors deescalated on May 10 after weeks of tension. While Trump had earlier asserted that he played a key role in brokering peace and even hinted at potential trade deals as a reward, Wednesday’s remarks marked a notable shift.

Explaining Munir’s visit, Trump said, “The reason I had him here, I want to thank him for not going into the war, ending the war. And I want to thank, as you know, Prime Minister Modi just left a little while ago, and we’re working on a trade deal with India. We’re working on a trade deal with Pakistan.”

Interestingly, this acknowledgment comes amid clarifications from India that no mediation was ever discussed. During a recent phone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Trump — held just before Trump’s abrupt return from the G7 Summit in Canada due to the Israel-Iran crisis — India firmly reiterated its longstanding policy.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated that PM Modi made it “absolutely clear” that at no point during Operation Sindoor was there any proposal or discussion for US mediation. “There is complete political consensus in India on this matter — India will never accept third-party intervention in its bilateral matters with Pakistan,” Misri emphasized.

Trump’s shift in tone may reflect the delicate diplomacy behind the scenes — and the stark reality that both nations chose restraint amid fears of a possible nuclear flashpoint.