Daijiworld Media Network – Washington

Washington, Jun 7: US President Donald Trump has once again claimed credit for brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, asserting that he used trade negotiations as leverage to halt what he described as a potential “nuclear problem.”

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said, “I did something that people don't talk about, and I don't talk about very much, but we solved a big problem, a nuclear problem potentially with India and Pakistan. They were going at it, and they could have gone at it nuclear.”

He added that he had spoken directly with both sides. “I talked about trade and said, ‘We're not doing trade if you guys are going to be throwing bombs at each other.’ They both stopped, and I stopped that war immediately.”

Trump said that the situation “was going much further” and claimed that nuclear escalation was a possibility. “In fact, it might have gone to nuclear in the next round, but we stopped it,” he said, while commending the leaders of both countries for their cooperation.

India, however, has consistently denied the involvement of any third party in the decision to halt hostilities. The Indian Army had launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror camps in Pakistan and PoK in response to the Pahalgam terror attack. Following this, a ceasefire agreement was reaffirmed between the two countries’ DGMOs (Director Generals of Military Operations) based on a bilateral understanding.

Meanwhile, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, part of a recent all-party delegation to the US, refuted Trump's claims of mediation. After a meeting with US Vice President JD Vance, Tharoor said, “We made our position amply clear on this question of mediation, and Vice President Vance fully understood our points.”

Trump’s repeated assertions are likely to stir diplomatic tension, especially given India’s firm stance on bilateral resolution of issues with Pakistan.