Trump raised his earlier estimate of aircraft losses, alleging that 11 fighter jets were downed during the confrontation. India has rejected these claims and maintained that its military operations were precise and controlled.
BY PC Bureau
February 20, 2026: US President Donald Trump has once again claimed he played a decisive role in mediating between India and Pakistan during their 2025 military standoff, saying he threatened both nations with steep trade penalties to force a ceasefire. Speaking at his Board of Peace event, Trump also escalated his earlier assertions, claiming that as many as “11 jets were shot down” during the confrontation.
India has consistently rejected any suggestion of third-party mediation or aircraft losses during the May conflict last year, maintaining that the ceasefire understanding was reached through direct military-to-military communication.
Trump’s Remarks at Peace Event
During the event, Trump called on Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who was present among other global leaders, to stand up while he recounted his version of events.
“Pakistan and India — that was a big one. I think you should actually stand. Come, please stand just for a second. Pakistan and India. Thank you very much,” Trump said, before repeating his claim that Sharif had credited him with saving “25 million lives” by brokering peace.
Trump described the conflict as intense, saying, “That war was raging. Planes were being shot down, and it was Pakistan and India.” He also inflated his earlier estimate, having previously claimed seven aircraft were downed, now stating that 11 jets were destroyed during the hostilities.
Trump on India-Pakistan war & Ops Sindoor:
Eleven jets were shot down — very expensive jets. They were all in….
With this speed trump will destroy half of PAF by 2026 end! pic.twitter.com/RerNPGismt
— Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) February 19, 2026
Tariff Threat Claim
Trump asserted that he used trade leverage to pressure both sides into ending the confrontation. He said he personally contacted leaders of both nations, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, warning of severe economic consequences if the fighting continued.
“I called them and said, listen, I’m not doing trade deals with you if you don’t settle this. If you fight, I’m going to put 200 percent tariffs on each of your countries,” Trump said. “They both wanted to fight. But when it came to money, they said, I guess we don’t want to fight. Eleven jets were shot down — very expensive jets.”
India’s Firm Denial
India has repeatedly dismissed Trump’s claims of mediation, insisting that the cessation of hostilities resulted from direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of both countries, without any external involvement.
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The military escalation followed India’s launch of Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians.
Despite Trump’s repeated assertions — including claiming credit more than 80 times for ending the conflict — Indian officials have consistently maintained that the de-escalation was achieved bilaterally, without intervention from the United States.
