US President Donald Trump took to Truth Social on Sunday to celebrate a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, calling it “historic and heroic” and pledging to dive into the thorny Kashmir dispute while boosting trade with both nations.
His message, brimming with superlatives, framed the agreement as a triumph of “strength, wisdom, and fortitude,” averting a spiral of violence that could have claimed “millions of good and innocent people.”
Trump’s post lauded the leadership of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for halting what he called escalating aggression, sparked by an April 22 attack in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Kashmir, that killed 26 people.
India pointed fingers at Pakistan-based groups, though without evidence, while Islamabad firmly denied involvement. The ceasefire, brokered with US mediation, has cooled tensions, and Trump didn’t shy from claiming credit: “I’m proud the USA helped you reach this historic decision.”
The Kashmir dispute, a decades-long flashpoint over the contested Himalayan region, wasn’t part of the ceasefire talks, but Trump signalled ambition to address it.
“I’ll work with you both to see if, after a ‘thousand years,’ we can find a solution,” he wrote, acknowledging the complexity of a conflict that has fuelled wars and near-constant friction.
Trade was a key pillar of Trump’s message, with a vow to “increase trade substantially” with both “great Nations.” India and Pakistan, economic heavyweights in South Asia, stand to gain from deeper US ties, especially in technology and defence, sectors Trump prioritised in his first term.
Trump’s involvement, backed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has raised stakes, but his hyperbolic tone – calling the ceasefire a legacy-defining act – faces scrutiny.
As Trump prepares for a mid-May Gulf-US summit in Riyadh, where regional stability will loom large, his focus on Kashmir signals a broader Middle East-South Asia strategy.
For now, his cheerleading of Modi and Sharif, coupled with a bold – if vague – commitment to one of the world’s most intractable disputes, keeps the spotlight on a region yearning for lasting peace.