Daijiworld Media Network- Washington
Washington, Jun 19: In a surprising shift of stance within hours, US President Donald Trump retracted his bold claims of personally halting a potential war between India and Pakistan, instead praising Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir for their roles in defusing tensions.
Speaking at the Oval Office during a media interaction around 3 p.m. local time, Trump said, “Two very smart people decided not to keep going with that war that could have been a nuclear one,” indirectly referring to PM Modi and Gen Munir. The statement came shortly after a luncheon with the visiting Pakistan Army Chief, where Trump refrained from repeating his earlier assertions of being the peacemaker.
Earlier in the day, while witnessing the installation of a massive flagpole on the White House lawn, Trump had told reporters, “I got it stopped,” referring to the alleged India-Pakistan standoff. He lamented not receiving enough credit for what he described as a major diplomatic feat.
However, the Indian side has strongly refuted any claims of US mediation. According to a Ministry of External Affairs statement, PM Modi categorically informed Trump during a phone call that Pakistan had initiated the ceasefire request following India’s firm and strategic military response. Modi also reiterated India’s long-standing policy of rejecting third-party mediation on issues with Pakistan.
After the meeting with Gen Munir, Trump acknowledged, “This man was extremely influential in stopping it from the Pakistan side, PM Modi from the India side, and others.” He added that he was also working on a trade deal with India and appreciated Modi's leadership.
Interestingly, Trump also discussed Iran with Munir, despite the complexities in US-Iran-Pakistan dynamics, especially as Pakistan represents Iran's interests in Washington in the absence of diplomatic ties between Tehran and Washington.
The meeting highlighted Trump’s pragmatic approach towards dealing directly with powerful military leaderships, in contrast to the traditional diplomatic route. The invitation to Gen Munir underlined the reality of Pakistan’s political structure, where the military continues to wield significant influence behind the scenes.