Trump reiterates claim he averted war between India and Pakistan during Oval Office meeting

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday once again asserted that he prevented a war between India and Pakistan, repeating a claim he has made multiple times in the past.

Trump made the remark during a bilateral meeting at the White House with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Speaking in the Oval Office, the president said he had helped halt multiple global conflicts.

“I’ve stopped actually eight wars… Have another one to go with Putin. I’m a little surprised at Putin. It’s taken longer than I thought,” Trump said. “But we stopped India and Pakistan. Wish I could go through the list. You know the list better than I do.”

While Trump did not elaborate on the specifics of his claim, he has previously stated that his administration played a role in de-escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

The meeting with the Saudi Crown Prince focused on regional security and bilateral cooperation, but Trump’s comments on India-Pakistan relations drew immediate attention given the sensitivity of the subject in South Asia.