Kathmandu: US President Donald Trump has again asserted that he single-handedly prevented India and Pakistan from moving toward a nuclear confrontation, claiming he threatened both nations with severe economic penalties during a period of escalating tension.

Speaking at the US–Saudi Investment Forum on Wednesday, Trump recounted what he described as a decisive intervention, saying he warned New Delhi and Islamabad of a 350% tariff and a complete halt to US trade if they did not back down.

His fresh remarks come months after India launched Operation Sindoor in May 2025 in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. Trump claimed his earlier intervention — during a previous phase of strain — forced both sides to reconsider.
According to Trump, during the standoff he told the two nuclear-armed neighbours:

“That’s okay, you can go at it, but I’m putting a 350 per cent tariff on each country — no more trade with the United States.”

He said one side protested, to which he replied,

“I don’t care if you like it or not. I’m not going to have you guys shooting nuclear weapons at each other, killing millions and having nuclear dust floating over Los Angeles.”

Trump claimed he was “all set” to impose the tariffs, framing them as a tool he used widely to settle conflicts. He said five of eight international disputes during his tenure had been resolved through economic pressure.

He added that Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif thanked him, allegedly saying, “President Trump saved millions and millions of lives.” Trump also claimed India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called him to say, “We’re not going to go to war.”

The brief four-day confrontation between India and Pakistan ended after direct talks between the two sides. Trump later declared on social media that the neighbours had agreed to a “full and immediate ceasefire” after a “long night” of US-mediated negotiations.

While Trump has repeatedly taken credit for diffusing tensions, India has persistently denied any third-party involvement, maintaining that all matters with Pakistan are handled bilaterally. Pakistan, however, has publicly acknowledged Trump’s role in easing the May 2025 conflict.

Trump used his remarks to contrast his leadership style with that of political rivals, arguing that no other president would have taken such steps.

He ended his comments by reiterating, “I saved a lot of people, millions of people, on many other wars.”