United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday claimed that his administration played a decisive role in preventing a potential nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan, asserting that millions of lives were at stake.
Trump claims credit for preventing nuclear conflict
Speaking during his second State of the Union address of his second term, which lasted over 100 minutes, Trump said that his intervention helped de-escalate tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
“In my first 10 months, I ended eight wars… including Pakistan and India, which would have been a nuclear war,” Trump said. “35 million people, said the Prime Minister of Pakistan, would have died if it were not for my involvement.”
#WATCH | Addressing the 2026 State of the Union, United States President Donald Trump says, “… In my first 10 months, I ended eight wars… Pakistan and India would have had a nuclear war. 35 million people said the Prime Minister of Pakistan would have died if it were not for… pic.twitter.com/GnrgJKtjID
— ANI (@ANI) February 25, 2026
The US President described the situation as extremely critical, suggesting that the conflict had the potential to escalate into a catastrophic nuclear confrontation.
Pakistan PM credited US intervention, says Trump
Trump further claimed that Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif personally acknowledged his role in preventing large-scale casualties. According to Trump, Sharif told him that up to 35 million people could have died if diplomatic efforts led by Washington had not intervened in time.
This is not the first time Trump has made such assertions. In previous statements, he cited varying figures — including 25 million and 10 million — while crediting himself for averting a major conflict in South Asia.
India rejects third-party mediation claims
India, however, has consistently denied any involvement of third-party mediation in its bilateral issues with Pakistan. New Delhi has maintained its long-standing position that all matters with Islamabad are strictly bilateral and do not involve external facilitation.
Trump has reiterated his claim multiple times since May last year, when he announced on social media that India and Pakistan had agreed to a “full and immediate” ceasefire following what he described as a “long night” of talks mediated by the United States.
Broader foreign policy claims in address
In his address, Trump also highlighted a series of international conflicts that he claimed to have helped resolve. These included tensions between Cambodia and Thailand, Kosovo and Serbia, Israel and Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as conflicts involving the Congo and Rwanda. He also noted that the war in Gaza was continuing but at a “very low level.”
Emphasising his administration’s broader agenda, Trump said the United States was restoring both domestic stability and international security. “We’re proudly restoring safety for Americans at home and we are also restoring security for Americans abroad. Our country has never been stronger,” he said.
The address saw brief interruptions from some Democratic lawmakers, to which Trump responded sharply, calling them “sick people,” reflecting the continued political divisions in Washington.
(With inputs from Agencies)
