It’s not the first time Donald Trump has claimed to have prevented World War III. But now, the former—and once again sitting—U.S. President says five warplanes were downed during the recent India-Pakistan conflict. And only he, according to him, stood between the world and nuclear catastrophe.
“I Stopped It”—Trump Paints Himself as Global Peacemaker
Donald Trump was in his element Tuesday night. At a reception with Republican lawmakers in the East Room of the White House, he wasn’t shy about claiming credit for stopping major wars.
“They were shooting each other’s jets out of the air,” he said, referring to India and Pakistan. “Five planes. It was going back and forth. These are serious nuclear countries.”
That’s when, he says, he stepped in—threatening both New Delhi and Islamabad with trade consequences unless they backed off.
“I told them, no more trade if you keep going. And that stopped it,” he said, pausing for effect.
The crowd of Republican Congress members nodded and chuckled. Some clapped. It was classic Trump—big claim, thin details, and a room that didn’t ask too many questions.
India, Pakistan Silent as Congress in U.S. and India Ask Questions
Neither India nor Pakistan has confirmed any part of Trump’s five-jet claim. In fact, no such details had been made public during the peak of the recent standoff in May, when tensions were running high along the Line of Control.
Back in New Delhi, the Congress party pounced on Trump’s remarks. Party spokesperson Supriya Shrinate demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi break his silence.
“Did five jets go down? Was there really a nuclear flashpoint? If President Trump says he stopped a war, is our government even aware of it?” she asked in a press conference Wednesday morning.
Islamabad, meanwhile, issued a cautious, almost diplomatic response. “Pakistan always seeks peaceful resolution to regional disputes,” the Foreign Ministry said, without directly acknowledging Trump’s claims.
What Did Trump Actually Mean? Even His Allies Are Scratching Their Heads
Some of Trump’s own aides privately admitted confusion. A Republican senator who attended the White House event told Bloomberg on background, “He definitely said five jets were shot down. But I don’t think anyone has seen proof of that.”
Others pointed to Trump’s pattern of exaggeration. Just last week, he claimed he’d also “taken out Iran’s entire nuclear capability”—a statement that defies all known intelligence and contradicts U.S. State Department briefings.
One White House advisor, speaking anonymously, said:
“He was likely referring to the India-Pakistan border flare-up in May. There were skirmishes, but nothing nuclear. And no evidence of five jets downed.”
In 2019, Trump made a similar claim—saying he was personally mediating between India and Pakistan over Kashmir. New Delhi firmly denied inviting him into the equation.
Timeline of Recent India-Pakistan Tensions
| Date | Event Description |
|---|---|
| May 3, 2025 | Indian and Pakistani troops exchange fire in Poonch |
| May 5, 2025 | One Indian soldier killed, two Pakistani troops wounded |
| May 6, 2025 | Ceasefire announced, mediated via backchannel talks |
| May 9, 2025 | U.S. says it “supports restraint” but no official role claimed |
The Pentagon has made no public statement backing Trump’s version of events. Defense Department sources said U.S. intelligence was “closely monitoring” South Asia in early May but saw no signs of nuclear mobilization or aircraft losses on that scale.
A Pattern of Claims, But This One Felt Heavier
Trump has never shied away from invoking nuclear fear. It’s a move straight out of his political playbook—present himself as the sole adult in the room, while painting opponents as reckless or clueless.
In his remarks Tuesday, Trump even took a dig at President Biden. “Do you think Biden would’ve stopped it? I don’t think he’s ever heard of any of those countries.”
It got laughs.
But beneath the bravado, the implications are serious. If Trump’s claims are even partially accurate, then the world came dangerously close to a nuclear flashpoint—something both India and Pakistan have gone to great lengths to avoid since their last major confrontation in 2019.
Back then, both countries conducted airstrikes across the border and an Indian fighter jet was captured (and later released) by Pakistan. But even in that moment, cooler heads prevailed.
What We Still Don’t Know—and Might Never Know
This latest Trump claim leaves many unanswered questions:
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Were five fighter jets really shot down?
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Did either India or Pakistan signal readiness for a nuclear move?
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Was the U.S. government officially involved in diffusing the crisis—or was this a “Trump-only” initiative?
One former U.S. ambassador to Pakistan said on background, “The biggest danger isn’t whether Trump lied. It’s that, if he didn’t, then we all came much closer to disaster than we knew. And that’s terrifying.”
For now, both India and Pakistan seem to want the story to go away. But with Trump pushing the narrative hard—both in private dinners and now on national podiums—it may be only a matter of time before documents or testimonies shed more light.
Nuclear Brinkmanship Is a Dangerous Campaign Tool
Trump’s words come as he ramps up his 2026 reelection campaign. Positioning himself as the global strongman, capable of preventing war by sheer force of personality, has always been his selling point.
But nuclear brinkmanship—even rhetorically—is dangerous ground.
In fact, political scientists have long warned that leaders often exaggerate international threats for domestic gain. It’s happened before in U.S. history, from the Gulf of Tonkin incident to “weapons of mass destruction” in Iraq.
But this time, the stage involves two nuclear-armed neighbors—each with their own history, pain, and red lines.
One misstep, one misread, and the consequences would’ve been more than just campaign-season drama.
