WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has sparked a new diplomatic storm with his latest remarks about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir. Speaking at a luncheon for APEC CEOs, Trump described Modi as a “great-looking guy… but a killer, tough as hell, ” while hailing Munir as a “great fighter.”
Reigniting an old controversy, Trump once again claimed that he personally intervened to stop a major conflict between India and Pakistan in May. According to him, both nuclear-armed nations were “really going at it” after “seven planes were shot down, ” and his warning of severe trade sanctions led to a ceasefire “within 48 hours, ” allegedly saving “millions of lives.”
India has repeatedly dismissed Trump’s version of events, clarifying that no such mediation took place. Officials have maintained that Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) had requested a ceasefire following India’s retaliatory Operation Sindoor after the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians.
Trump’s latest comments — made during his Asia tour ahead of a key meeting with China’s Xi Jinping — have reignited debate over his penchant for dramatic diplomatic claims and Washington’s actual influence in South Asian affairs. The Modi-Trump relationship once again takes the spotlight — a mix of admiration, bravado, and controversy.