• Says Washington used economic pressure, not military force, to prevent a potential nuclear conflict
• Highlights truce as a personal diplomatic success

WASHINGTON: On the eve of a high-level Pakistani diplomatic delegation’s visit to Washington, US President Donald Trump reiterated his claim of having brokered the May 2025 India-Pakistan ceasefire — a statement that has been met with skepticism in New Delhi but is quietly welcomed in Islamabad.

Speaking at a White House presser on Friday, President Trump stated: “We can’t trade with countries firing missiles” at each other, emphasising that the US leveraged its economic relationships to pressure both nations into peace. “They do it through bullets, we do it through trade,” he added, highlighting his administration’s approach to conflict resolution through economic means.

Later that evening, speaking to reporters at Andrews Air Force Base, President Trump elaborated on what he sees as one of his most significant diplomatic achievements.

“I think the deal I am most proud of is the fact that we are dealing with India, we are dealing with Pakistan, and we are able to stop potentially a nuclear war through trade as opposed to bullets,” he said. “Normally, they do it through bullets. We do it through trade.”

“So, I am very proud of that. Nobody talks about it, but we had a very nasty potential war between Pakistan and India. And now, if you look, they are doing fine. That was getting very nasty. That was getting very bad. They are both nuclear powers,” he added.

He also confirmed the impending visit of a Pakistani delegation: “The Pakistan representatives are coming in next week. And India, as you know, we are very close to making a deal with India. I wouldn’t if they were still at war and I let them know.”

The Pakistani delegation, led by PPP Chairman and former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, is set to arrive in New York on Sunday. The group is scheduled to meet UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the current president of the UN General Assembly, and ambassadors of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. It will also address a joint session of OIC envoys during its two-day stay in New York.

The delegation will travel to Washington on June 3, where meetings are expected with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other senior US officials. The visit also includes engagements with congressional lawmakers, policy experts at major think tanks, and representatives of the US media.

While Pakistani officials have publicly remained cautious, they privately acknowledge that President Trump played a key role in defusing last month’s tensions. In contrast, New Delhi has repeatedly rejected suggestions of outside involvement, insisting that the ceasefire was initiated by Pakistan and accepted by India, without US mediation.

Islamabad, however, denies making any formal request for mediation and credits President Trump for preventing further escalation, hinting at a rare diplomatic convergence between Pakistan and the US.

Trump’s comments are seen in Washington’s diplomatic circles as a timely morale booster for the visiting delegation. Pakistani diplomats say they not only endorse his claim but also support a broader US role in South Asia, especially in resolving the long-standing Kashmir dispute.

His assertion of having averted a “nuclear disaster” has been welcomed by the international community, despite New Delhi’s consistent opposition to third-party involvement in its disputes with Pakistan.

The timing of Trump’s comments is particularly significant. It comes as Pakistan seeks to reset its relations with the United States.

The first round of US-Pakistan trade talks was held in Washington on Thursday, and a Pakistani trade delegation is expected to visit Washington soon, with dates currently being finalised. Islamabad hopes that President Trump’s remarks will reinforce Pakistan’s international relevance and highlight its growing diplomatic engagement with Washington.

Meanwhile, US academic Christine Fair — once seen as aligned with pro-India circles — challenged New Delhi’s narrative of victory in the recent India-Pakistan confrontation. “Indians who fail to see the victories that Pakistan snatched from the latest skirmish will fail to understand just why India has not and will not deter Pakistan,” she wrote in a tweet.

Published in Dawn, June 1st, 2025