
No Credit, Modi Told Him But Trump Digs In, Wants To Be Cast As Peacemaker
India-West News Desk
NEW DELHI – Just hours after a phone call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former U.S. President Donald Trump once again declared that he had personally “stopped the war” between India and Pakistan—this time before going into a meeting with Pakistan’s army chief at the White House.
The June 18 phone conversation, lasting 35 minutes, was the first direct exchange between Modi and Trump in months. The two leaders had originally planned to meet on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Canada, but that meeting was canceled due to Trump’s early departure. The call was held at Trump’s request.
Following the conversation, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri briefed reporters, offering a starkly different account of events. According to Misri, Modi made it clear during the call that India’s decision to halt its military operations was a direct response to a ceasefire request from Pakistan, conveyed through established military channels.
At no point, Misri emphasized, was there any discussion of U.S. involvement or mediation.
“There was no proposal for mediation, not even at the lowest levels,” Misri stated. “Prime Minister Modi firmly reiterated that India has never accepted, does not accept, and will never accept third-party mediation on matters concerning Pakistan.”
But that clarity from Modi didn’t stop Trump from going public with his version of events.
Speaking to reporters ahead of a meeting with Pakistan’s powerful army chief General Asim Munir, Trump boasted: “Well, I stopped the war between Pakistan—I love Pakistan—I think Modi is a fantastic man. I spoke to him last night… and I stopped the war between Pakistan and India.” He credited both Munir and Modi as “extremely influential in stopping it,” pointing out that both countries are nuclear powers.
Trump also voiced frustration with how the episode was being covered in the media.
“I don’t think I had one story written,” he complained. “I stopped a war between two major nations, major nuclear nations. I did not have a story written about it.”