Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, President Donald Trump addressed the rapidly intensifying hostilities between India and Pakistan, describing the situation as “so terrible” and pledging his willingness to step in if needed to help calm the crisis. “If I can do anything to ease the tensions,” he said, “I will be there.”
The escalation comes after India launched a missile strike into Pakistani-administered territory earlier in the day. Indian officials described the action as a direct response to a deadly assault last month in the Kashmir region, which left multiple tourists dead. They blame Pakistan for supporting the attackers behind the incident in Pahalgam—a charge the Pakistani government firmly denies.
The Kashmir region, long a flashpoint between the two countries, has been contested since 1949, with both India and Pakistan claiming it in full. In the aftermath of India’s retaliatory strike, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif denounced the move as a declaration of war and vowed retribution. He stated that 26 people were killed in the Indian air raids and promised Pakistan would not let the attack go unanswered.
Trump made his comments shortly after announcing that David Perdue, the former Republican senator from Georgia, would be his nominee for U.S. ambassador to China. The press event was broadcast live on Newsmax and also streamed on Newsmax2. “Oh, it’s so terrible,” Trump said, expressing concern over the conflict.
Highlighting his familiarity with both South Asian nations, Trump said, “My position is I get along with both. I know both very well, and I want to see them work it out. I want to see them stop, and hopefully they can stop now.”
Earlier in the day, the State Department shared via X that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had spoken separately with the national security advisers of India and Pakistan. According to the post, he urged both parties to “keep lines of communication open and avoid escalation,” as the conflict marks the worst flare-up since 2019, when the two countries narrowly avoided all-out war.
Reflecting on the back-and-forth strikes between the two sides, Trump remarked, “They’ve gone tit for tat, so hopefully they can stop now.” He reiterated his commitment to peace and said, “But I know both. We get along with both countries very well. Good relationships with both, and I want to see it stop. And if I can do anything to help I will. I will be there.”
{Matzav.com}