Fact Check: Donald Trump Did Not Claim Indian Jets Were Shot Down in Pakistan Conflict

A fake AI-generated video falsely shows Donald Trump claiming India lost fighter jets in May’s India-Pakistan clashes. PIB confirms the clip is fabricated. 

Bengaluru: A video circulating on social media platforms has falsely depicted former US President Donald Trump commenting on the India–Pakistan conflict between May 7 and 10. In the doctored clip, Trump claims that seven Indian fighter aircraft, including three Rafales and a MiG-29, were shot down, prompting New Delhi to call for an end to hostilities with Islamabad. The Press Information Bureau’s (PIB) Fact Check unit has clarified that the video is fabricated using artificial intelligence and that Trump made no such remarks. Officials urged the public to rely on authentic sources and watch the original video to avoid being misled. The fake video shows Trump saying, “The Indians told me about the incident (Pahalgam terror attack). I said Pakistan has already offered to investigate. So don't take any action. Don't do any misadventure, but they didn't listen. They tried and there was a lot of destruction. They lost a total of 7 planes. Three Rafales, a very expensive plane, 1 Mig 29 and some others. There was a lot of damage. The Indian Air Force suffered a lot. Everybody saw it. Everybody knows it.”

Trump's Claim For Credit

US President Donald Trump has on several occasions claimed credit for brokering the cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan, asserting that he played a key role in de-escalating tensions through trade negotiations. Trump cited his personal rapport with Prime Minister Narendra Modi while discussing the challenges involved in the process.

"If you take a look at what we just did with Pakistan and India, we settled that whole thing, and I think I settled it through trade. We're doing a big deal with India. We're doing a big deal with Pakistan... Some shooting had to stop, but it was escalating rapidly. We spoke to them and got it settled, and then two days later, they said it was Trump's fault. Pakistan has some excellent leaders, and India is my friend... Modi is a great guy," Trump remarked during a White House meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The ceasefire followed India's 'Operation Sindoor', launched in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians. The operation targeted nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), triggering clashes including attempted Pakistani drone attacks on Indian cities and shelling along the LoC. However, India refuted these claims, emphasizing that any issues concerning Jammu and Kashmir are addressed bilaterally with Pakistan. The Ministry of External Affairs stated that trade discussions did not arise during conversations with US leaders from May 7 to May 10, the period covering Operation Sindoor and the subsequent cessation of hostilities.