President Donald Trump has once again claimed to have resolved several global conflicts, including the long-standing disputes between India and Pakistan, by employing economic measures such as tariffs. Speaking during a meeting with Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Trump asserted that he had "stopped eight wars" in nine months and would "probably" help resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict. He highlighted the recent Gaza ceasefire as his eighth solved conflict.
Trump's remarks on the India-Pakistan situation echo previous claims where he stated that his "ability" to use trade and tariffs as diplomatic leverage helped bring peace to the world. Specifically, he has repeatedly asserted that he used tariffs to end the conflict between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. "But I said if you guys are going to fight, I'm putting 100 per cent tariffs on each of you, and they immediately stopped fighting," he stated. He also suggested the conflict could have escalated to a nuclear level.
However, India has consistently denied any third-party mediation in the matter, maintaining that the understanding on the cessation of hostilities with Pakistan was reached through direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two countries. Indian officials have stated that Pakistan reached out to India's DGMO to stop the conflict, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has affirmed India's autonomy in its national security decisions. The Ministry of External Affairs has reiterated that "no third-party mediation was sought or accepted" during Operation Sindoor. Furthermore, India's External Affairs Minister confirmed that no trade talks occurred during the operation.
Despite these denials, Trump has repeatedly cited the India-Pakistan situation as an example of his successful use of tariffs as a foreign policy tool. He stated that his power to impose tariffs prevented seven "raging wars," including the India-Pakistan conflict during Operation Sindoor. He also claimed that "seven planes were shot down" during the conflict. "Not only did we make hundreds of billions of dollars, but we're a peacekeeper because of tariffs," Trump said.
Trump's claims of resolving multiple conflicts have often been met with skepticism. While the White House has provided a list of seven conflicts the president is referencing, including Israel and Iran, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Armenia and Azerbaijan, foreign policy experts argue that several of these conflicts were not full-scale wars and many remain unresolved. Some of these peace efforts involved limited U.S. involvement, and in other instances, it remains unclear whether Trump's role was decisive.
Regarding the Gaza ceasefire, Trump declared that the "war is over" as he embarked on a trip to Israel and Egypt. He hailed the ceasefire and hostage release deal as a significant achievement, calling it a "very special time". Trump is expected to co-chair a Gaza peace summit with Egyptian President al-Sisi, aiming to consolidate the ceasefire and outline a political framework for Gaza's post-war governance. However, the situation remains precarious, with ongoing negotiations between Israel and Hamas about the next steps.
Trump has often expressed his desire to win the Nobel Peace Prize. When asked about his chances of winning the award, Trump said, "Well, I don't know," while asserting that he made eight deals and solved wars. However, he added that he "doesn't know" if he'll get the Nobel Peace Prize for settling "eight wars". The Nobel Peace Prize for 2025 was awarded to democracy advocate María Corina Machado.
