Former President Donald Trump has updated his controversial claim regarding intervention in India-Pakistan relations, now asserting that eight aircraft were destroyed during the military confrontation he allegedly helped resolve.
Speaking at a Florida event on Wednesday, Trump expanded upon his previous narrative—which mentioned seven downed planes—as he described his role in facilitating a ceasefire between the two nuclear-armed South Asian neighbors.
Trump recounted discovering news of escalating India-Pakistan tensions while negotiating trade agreements with both nations. According to his account, he threatened to withdraw from commercial discussions unless both countries agreed to cease hostilities.
“I discovered they were heading toward war while reading international coverage,” Trump stated at the Miami gathering. “These are nuclear-capable nations. I informed them directly that trade negotiations would terminate unless they committed to peaceful resolution.”
The former president claimed both countries initially resisted his intervention, arguing the conflict was unrelated to commercial partnerships. Trump reportedly insisted that nuclear powers engaged in warfare would not receive favorable trade terms from Washington.
According to Trump’s timeline, his ultimatum was delivered on May 9, with both nations announcing a ceasefire arrangement the following day. “Within twenty-four hours, I received confirmation they had reached a peace agreement,” Trump said to audience applause. “That demonstrates the effectiveness of strategic tariff diplomacy.”
Trump’s tariff strategy imposed a twenty-five percent levy on Indian imports, citing what he characterized as excessive duties on American products. Pakistan faced a nineteen percent tariff. India subsequently received an additional twenty-five percent penalty—totaling fifty percent—as response to New Delhi’s Russian oil purchases and BRICS participation, which Trump described as counter to American interests.
The former president has repeatedly emphasized trade leverage as a foreign policy tool, claiming to have resolved eight international conflicts during his tenure through similar economic pressure tactics.
