US President Donald Trump has once again praised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, crediting their leadership for helping defuse a brief but intense India-Pakistan conflict earlier this year.
Speaking at a luncheon during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, Trump lauded both Pakistani leaders for their role in promoting peace and regional stability. “The Prime Minister of Pakistan is a great guy. They have a Field Marshal — a great fighter. And I know them all,” he said, calling both “great people.”
Trump revealed that he had personally intervened during the May crisis between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, when tensions escalated following a terrorist attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). The attack in Pahalgam, which killed 26 tourists, led to a fierce military exchange that many feared could spiral into a full-scale war.
Read More: Trump once close to Modi, now admirer of Field Marshal Asim Munir: CNN
According to Trump, he made calls to both Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during the escalation. “I told Modi we couldn’t make a trade deal while they were starting a war with Pakistan,” Trump recounted. “Then I called Pakistan and said the same thing. Both sides wanted to keep fighting. They’re strong people. But after two days, they stopped. Isn’t that amazing?”
The conflict, which lasted nearly 87 hours, saw Pakistan conduct a strong retaliatory campaign — Operation Bunyanum Marsoos — in response to unprovoked Indian strikes. The Pakistan Armed Forces reportedly downed six Indian fighter jets, including three Rafales, along with several drones. The India-Pakistan conflict ended with a US-brokered ceasefire on May 10, which Trump proudly described as “a testament to effective diplomacy and leadership.”
Trump also took a subtle jab at his successor, suggesting that President Joe Biden wouldn’t have been able to manage such a high-stakes situation. “You think Biden would have done that? I don’t think so,” he quipped, drawing laughter from the audience.
