GYEONGJU: US President Donald Trump once again praised Pakistan’s leadership — Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir — for their role in defusing tensions during the four-day military confrontation between Pakistan and India earlier this year.
Speaking at a luncheon session during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea’s city of Gyeongju, Trump claimed that he played a pivotal role in helping both countries step back from the brink of war in May.
The US president recounted the episode, saying he had been negotiating a trade agreement with India at the time and had “great respect” for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “I’m doing a trade deal with India. I like Modi — he’s a great guy — but I also have great respect for Pakistan’s leadership,” Trump said.
Referring to Prime Minister Shehbaz as “a great guy” and Field Marshal Munir as “a great fighter,” Trump commended both for their resolve. “They have a Field Marshal — and he’s a real fighter. You can see why he’s earned that title,” he remarked, noting the professionalism of Pakistan’s military.
Trump claimed that his intervention — including a threat to impose 250% tariffs on both India and Pakistan — helped halt the conflict. “I told them, you’ll never do business again if this continues. Within 48 hours, there was no war and no casualties,” he said.
He described direct calls with both Modi and Pakistan’s leadership, warning them that trade talks would stop unless hostilities ceased. According to Trump, the brief conflict involved seven aircraft being downed, including Indian Rafales, and escalated dangerously before both sides agreed to a ceasefire on May 10.
The clash had begun after a terrorist attack on tourists in Indian-occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam area, which India blamed on Pakistan. Islamabad rejected the allegations as baseless, calling New Delhi’s narrative “fabricated and politically motivated.”
Comparing his approach with that of President Joe Biden, Trump said the current administration would not have been able to prevent such a confrontation. He concluded his remarks by again lauding PM Shehbaz and Field Marshal Munir, describing them as “strong and honorable leaders” who played a key role in maintaining regional peace.
