Field Marshal Munir
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday once again praised Pakistan’s top military official, Field Marshal Asim Munir, while reiterating his central role in diffusing the recent conflict between nuclear-armed neighbours Pakistan and India.
Speaking at a press conference following the annual NATO summit in The Hague, President Trump described the brief but intense military confrontation between the two South Asian nations as “the most important” conflict of recent times, primarily because both sides possess nuclear capabilities.
Reflecting on the events of May, Trump emphasized that he intervened diplomatically through a series of phone calls aimed at preventing the situation from spiraling into full-scale war. “I said, look, if you’re going to go fighting each other… it was getting very bad… I said if you’re going to fight, then we are not going to do trade deals,” Trump told reporters, suggesting that the threat of suspending trade talks helped bring both nations back from the brink.
The U.S. president praised Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, whom he recently met at the White House. “I met the General from Pakistan last week in my office — a very impressive personality, a great man,” Trump said, visibly expressing admiration for the military leader.
He also spoke highly of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him “a great friend” and “a great gentleman,” and noted that both countries eventually agreed to a ceasefire once the stakes of continued conflict were clearly laid out.
Trump claimed that by halting trade negotiations, he successfully pressured both Islamabad and New Delhi into choosing diplomacy over warfare. “We stopped a nuclear war,” he said. “They chose the trade deal over fighting.”
According to President Trump, the ceasefire between Pakistan and India was achieved through U.S. mediation, although India has consistently denied any American involvement. Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated on June 18 that the ceasefire resulted from direct communication between the Indian and Pakistani militaries.
Islamabad, however, continues to credit Trump for his intervention. The Pakistani government has gone so far as to formally recommend President Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, citing his “decisive diplomatic intervention” and “pivotal leadership” in preventing further escalation during the May conflict.
The recent military standoff began after a deadly April 22 attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) killed 26 people, mostly tourists. India swiftly blamed Pakistan for the incident—a charge Islamabad strongly denied.
The tension escalated rapidly, leading to cross-border strikes and Pakistan’s launch of Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos, during which the Pakistan Air Force downed six Indian Air Force jets, including three Rafales, in retaliation.
After nearly four days of conflict, both countries agreed to a ceasefire on May 10, a move President Trump says was directly influenced by his diplomatic engagement and pressure on both capitals to prioritize trade and peace over military confrontation.
While India’s position diverges from Trump’s version of events, the U.S. president has continued to assert his role and has reiterated offers to mediate the long-standing Kashmir dispute between the two countries — a position that has also been echoed in statements by the U.S. State Department.
