Trump Claims Five Jets Were Shot Down in India-Pakistan Clash

TDT | Manama

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U.S. President Donald Trump repeated his earlier claim of playing a role in preventing an escalation between India and Pakistan during a tense military standoff. Speaking at a dinner for Republican senators at the White House, Trump said that five fighter jets were shot down during the confrontation—but did not clarify which side suffered the losses.

“You had India, Pakistan—that was going… in fact, planes were being shot out of the air. Four or five. But I think five jets were shot down actually,” Trump said. “That was getting worse and worse, wasn’t it? That was looking like it was going to go [further]. These are two serious nuclear countries, and they were hitting each other.”

The incident Trump referred to appears to be the military clash that followed India’s Operation Sindoor, a four-day episode of heightened tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. His claim of mediating peace, however, has previously been denied by the Indian government.

Trump also linked his involvement to trade negotiations, saying the U.S. used economic leverage to encourage both nations to de-escalate. “We said, ‘You guys want to make a trade deal? We’re not making a trade deal if you’re going to be throwing around weapons—and maybe nuclear weapons.’”

India and Pakistan have a long history of strained relations, and while past U.S. administrations have often encouraged dialogue, Trump’s claim of directly resolving the crisis remains controversial and unconfirmed by either country.