US President Donald Trump once again emphasized that 10 aircraft were shot down during the brief but intense military conflict between Pakistan and India, viewed as a potential nuclear war by many experts. In an interview with Fox Business this week, Trump attributed his threat to impose tariffs as instrumental in ending the conflict, which he characterized as nearly resulting in a nuclear exchange.
In the interview, Trump highlighted the May 2025 military engagement, stating it was a brinksmanship between Pakistan and India that could have escalated into an apocalyptic scenario. He asserted, “They were really going at it. Ten planes were shot down. It would’ve been a nuclear war.”
This episode had garnered attention not only for its severity but also as a point of contention—Trump’s claims about the number of aircraft shot down and his role in preventing conflict have fluctuated over time. Initially, he mentioned five; later, seven; now eight; and most recently, 10. He attributes these figures to Pakistan’s actions during the tense standoff.
While the two countries’ leaders praised Trump for mediating a ceasefire, India has dismissed this narrative as an exaggeration. Officials in New Delhi have stated that the cessation of hostilities was due to direct contact between their respective military commands rather than external pressure from the United States.
Despite differing narratives on the outcome of the conflict, Trump remains committed to highlighting his role in averting potential disaster. He invoked the India-Pakistan incident at Mar-a-Lago and elsewhere, asserting it as evidence of his success in preventing a nuclear war through economic leverage. However, critics remain skeptical about both the exact number of aircraft shot down and whether these measures have long-term stability.
This episode underscores Trump’s ongoing use of trade pressure to influence international relations and serves as a stark reminder of how conflicts can be resolved, or exacerbated, by geopolitical maneuvers. Whether his claims are confirmed will likely depend on further investigation and evidence in future assessments.