Roving Periscope: Undeterred, Trump parrots ‘ceasefire’ credit for a 5th time!
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: Even after being trolled worldwide for his false claims that he got India and Pakistan to stop cross-firing, a boastful Donald Trump reiterated it a fifth time, ostensibly to impress his supporters at home where he has earned the dubious distinction of becoming the most unpopular US President-ever within three months of inauguration.
Despite his claims to wage peace between the two countries, Indian officials have clarified that after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes, and widespread destruction in his country, Pakistan’s Director-General of Military Operations (DGMOs) requested his counterpart in India on May 19 afternoon for a ‘ceasefire.’ Following this request, although India’s ongoing Operation Sindoor against terrorism has merely paused, it reached an understanding with Pakistan to stop all firings and military actions on land, air, and sea, with immediate effect.
They said no third party was involved. India also debunked Trump’s claims that trade with America brought the two warring countries to the same page.
But an irrepressible President Trump reiterated his claim a fifth time in as many days that Washington “got involved” with India and Pakistan, saying he “didn’t like what was happening” and that he did a “good job” as he “convinced” the two countries “to let’s have peace and let’s go and make trade deals.”
Trump was speaking to Fox News aboard Air Force One after he wrapped up his Saudi Arabia visit on Tuesday. This is the fifth time since Saturday last (May 10) that he claimed that the US brokered ‘ceasefire’ between New Delhi and Islamabad.
“Well, I’ve been busy, but I’ve enjoyed it, because we’re getting things accomplished. You can have times when you’re working very hard and not getting things done. That happens too, but we’re getting a lot done,” Trump told Sean Hannity of Fox News, the media reported on Wednesday.
Trump was responding to a question that it has been “an amazing week so far”, with the President getting a trade deal with China, playing a big role in India and Pakistan and slashing prescription drug prices.
“I don’t think there’s ever been a little period like this with the potential nuclear war. And two countries (India and Pakistan), they have very good leaders, people I know very well. And, yeah, it was, it was a very important process. We got involved with India and Pakistan,” Trump said.
When asked to give an insight into what happened behind the scenes, Trump said, “Well, I didn’t like what was happening. And you know, they’re two very strongly nuclear countries, with very, very powerful amounts of nuclear, too, serious stuff.
“And if that ever started, boy, that’s the beginning of something that could be really bad. Even a minimal minimum, you could have millions of people killed and with one shot, two shots. And I just thought it was something we could get involved in,” he said.
“And I did a good job. (Secretary of State) Marco (Rubio) did a good job, and (Vice President) J D (Vance) did a good job. We sort of were a team. And we, I think, convinced them to let’s have peace and let’s go and make trade deals. If we can make trade deals, we like that much better than nuclear weapons. And that was a great thing.” Hours earlier, addressing a high-level audience at the Saudi-US investment forum in Riyadh, he said that he doesn’t like war and wants to be a peacemaker and unifier.
With Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the audience, along with senior officials of the Saudi and American governments, Trump said, “Just days ago, my administration successfully brokered a historic ceasefire to stop the escalating violence between India and Pakistan.” “And I used trade to a large extent to do it. And I said, ‘Fellows, come on. Let’s make a deal. Let’s do some trading’,” Trump, who was in Saudi Arabia on the first leg of his four-day Gulf region trip, said to applause from the audience.
Sitting in the audience were billionaire Elon Musk, Rubio and other senior members of the Trump administration as well as the Saudi leadership.
“Let’s not trade nuclear missiles. Let’s trade the things that you make so beautifully. And they both have very powerful leaders, very strong leaders, good leaders, smart leaders. And it all stopped. Hopefully, it’ll remain that way, but it all stopped,” Trump said.
India carried out precision strikes under Operation Sindoor on terror infrastructure early on May 7 in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. Following the Indian action, Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9 and 10.
The two countries reached an understanding on Saturday, May 10.
On Saturday, Trump announced that India and Pakistan had agreed to a “full and immediate ceasefire” after a “long night of talks mediated by the United States.”
Later, in a post on Truth Social, he offered to work with India and Pakistan for a “solution” on Kashmir, while crediting Washington for helping the two nations arrive at the “historic and heroic decision” of stopping the conflict.
India has always maintained that the Kashmir issue is a bilateral matter with Pakistan and there is no space for any third party. It also asserts that the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir and the Union Territory of Ladakh are and always will be integral and inalienable parts of it.
