US President Donald Trump on Monday claimed credit for brokering the recent ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan. Trump said, “We stopped a nuclear conflict. I think it could have been a bad nuclear war. Millions of people could have been killed.” His comments come just hours after India categorically denied that any third-party mediation, including by the United States, had played a role in the decision to cease hostilities.

Trump said the US played a “big role” in encouraging both sides to de-escalate following four days of intense military confrontation, triggered by the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam and India’s retaliatory Operation Sindoor. He claimed credit not only for the ceasefire but also for using trade negotiations as leverage: “We helped a lot, and we also helped with trade. I said, ‘Come on, we’re going to do a lot of trade with you guys. Let’s stop it. If you stop it, we’re doing trade. If you don’t, we’re not.’ People have never really used trade the way I used it.”

He further stated that the leadership of both India and Pakistan had shown "strength, wisdom, and fortitude" in agreeing to the ceasefire, which he said came after a "long night of talks."

India Denies Any Mediation

Trump’s claims, however, were swiftly contradicted by the Indian government. Officials made it clear that India did not seek or accept any foreign mediation. “We don’t need anybody’s assistance,” a senior government source told ANI. “There is only one matter left in Kashmir – the return of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. Nothing else is up for discussion.”

US Role Limited To UNSC Support

India clarified that the ceasefire agreement, which came into effect at 5 pm on Saturday, followed a direct call from Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations to his Indian counterpart earlier that afternoon. New Delhi emphasised that the agreement was the result of bilateral military channels, not US intervention.

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India acknowledged US diplomatic engagement at the United Nations, particularly in sponsoring a UNSC statement condemning the Pahalgam attack, but it dismissed suggestions that Washington played a central role in securing the ceasefire.