Trump repeats ‘8 planes down’ claim, says he brokered India-Pak peace

Miami, USA – US President Donald Trump reignited controversy on Thursday as he repeated his claim of mediating peace between India and Pakistan. Speaking at the America Business Forum in Miami, he revised his earlier statement, saying eight fighter jets were shot down during the conflict, not seven.

Trump said India and Pakistan “made peace” in May only after he threatened to cancel their trade deals. He added that his intervention forced both nuclear nations to step back from the brink of war.

“I was finalizing trade deals with both countries when I saw headlines saying they were going to war,” Trump told the crowd. “Eight planes were down. I said, this is war. I warned them—no trade unless you make peace,” he added, drawing applause.

Trump described the India-Pakistan standoff as one of eight global conflicts he claimed to have stopped since taking office. He also cited Kosovo-Serbia and Congo-Rwanda among those examples, portraying himself once again as a global peacemaker.

He said both Delhi and Islamabad initially rejected his demand. “They said this has nothing to do with trade. I said, it has everything to do with trade. You’re nuclear nations. I won’t trade with you if you’re at war,” Trump said.

According to him, the next day both nations agreed to peace. “They called and said, ‘We made peace.’ I said, ‘Great, now let’s trade.’ Without tariffs, that would’ve never happened,” Trump claimed as the audience cheered.

However, India rejected Trump’s version of events. Officials said the ceasefire took place on May 10 after Pakistani commanders requested Indian forces to halt the offensive. They clarified that the US had no role in the discussions or the ceasefire process.

Despite India’s denial, Trump continues to repeat his story. Reports indicate he has mentioned his “India-Pakistan peace deal” more than 60 times since May.

The India-Pakistan conflict, referred to as Operation Sindoor, began on May 7. India launched targeted strikes on terror camps inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The operation followed the killing of 26 civilians by Pakistan-backed terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam area.

For four days, both sides exchanged heavy fire and missile strikes. Pakistan eventually sought a ceasefire, which ended the hostilities.

India maintained that its operations targeted only terror infrastructure and that no foreign mediation took place. New Delhi’s position remained firm: any issue with Pakistan would be resolved bilaterally.

Trump’s fresh remarks have drawn criticism for distorting facts. Analysts note that his repeated claims aim to bolster his image as a dealmaker ahead of the upcoming election season.

While his supporters cheered his version of events in Miami, officials in both Delhi and Islamabad stayed silent, avoiding a fresh diplomatic row.

In contrast, global observers noted that Trump’s statement once again blurred the line between diplomatic reality and political storytelling.