'8 planes were downed': Trump changes claim on India-Pakistan conflict
What's the story
United States President Donald Trump has once again claimed to have brokered peace between India and Pakistan. But this time he revised the number of fighter jets he claimed were shot down during the conflict from seven to eight. Speaking at the America Business Forum in Miami on Wednesday, Trump said, "They are two nuclear nations. I said, 'I'm not going to make any trade deals with you guys unless you agree to peace'."
Peacemaker claims
India-Pakistan situation 1 of 8 conflicts Trump resolved
"I was in the midst of a trade deal with India and Pakistan, and then I read on the front page of a certain newspaper...I heard they were going to war. Seven planes were shot down, and the eighth was badly wounded. Eight planes were shot down essentially," said Trump. The India-Pakistan situation was one of the eight conflicts Trump claimed to have resolved since assuming office, along with Kosovo-Serbia and Congo-Rwanda.
Trump
'Without tariffs, that would have never happened'
He claimed the neighbors initially opposed such a threat, saying their conflict had nothing to do with trade deals. "The two nations said 'No way. This has nothing to do...' I said, 'It has everything to do. You are nuclear powers....We're not making...deals with you if you're at war," he said After the threat, he claimed the next day he got a call that the two countries had made peace. "Isn't that great? Without tariffs, that would have never happened."
Denial issued
India denied Trump's claims of US intervention
India has always denied Trump's claims of US intervention in the peace talks. A ceasefire was achieved on May 10 after Pakistani commanders requested their Indian counterparts to stop the offensive. Despite India's denial, Trump has continued to repeat his claim that a ceasefire was brokered by Washington after "long night" talks between India and Pakistan. Reports suggest he has repeated this claim at least 60 times since May.
Military action
Pakistan sought ceasefire after 4 days of hostilities
On May 7, India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting terror camps deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. This was in retaliation for the murder of 26 civilians by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam. The hostilities continued for four days with cross-border firing and missile strikes before Pakistan sought a ceasefire.