Trump has praised PM Modi as 'the nicest-looking guy' and called him 'a killer' and 'tough as hell'. He also repeated his claim that he helped stop May's India-Pakistan escalation and hinted a US-India trade deal could come soon.
US President Donald Trump praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi in strong, personal terms while speaking at the APEC CEOs Luncheon in Gyeongju on Wednesday. He called PM Modi 'the nicest-looking guy' and said he looked like someone you might want as a father. Trump added that PM Modi was 'a killer' and 'tough as hell' in negotiations.
Trump also said he respected and loved PM Modi and that the United States was working on a trade deal with India. He suggested the trade deal could be finalised soon and linked his talks with both India and Pakistan to trade and tariffs.
Trump's claim about ending a crisis between India and Pakistan
While speaking, Trump repeated his earlier claim that he had helped stop a dangerous escalation between India and Pakistan in May. He said he called leaders in both countries and threatened trade sanctions so they would stop fighting. Trump also said that 'seven planes were shot down' during the clash.
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Trump in his address to APEC CEOs said, “I'm doing a trade deal with India, and I have great respect and love for Prime Minister Modi. We have a great relationship. Likewise, the Prime Minister of Pakistan is a great guy. They have a Field Marshal. You know why he's a Field Marshal? He's a great fighter. And so I know them all. I'm reading that seven planes were shot down. These are two nuclear nations. And they're really going at it. And I called Prime Minister Modi and said, we can't make a trade deal with you. No, no, we must make a trade deal. I said, no, we can't. You're starting a war with Pakistan. We're not going to do it. And then I called Pakistan and said, we're not going to do trade with you because you're fighting with India. They said, no, no, you should let us fight. They both said that. They're strong people. Prime Minister Modi is the nicest-looking guy. He's a killer. He's tough as hell. No, we will fight. I said, Whoa, this is the same man that I know. After literally two days, they called up and they said, we understand, and they stopped fighting. How is that? Isn't that amazing? Now, you think Biden would have done that? I don't think so...”
These are claims Trump has made several times in recent months. His account differs from official Indian statements, which say the ceasefire and calm were achieved through direct talks between Indian and Pakistani military officials. India has denied that a third party was needed to make the two sides stop the violence.
The May escalation and the ceasefire
Donald Trump's comments refer to a tense period in May when, under Operation Sindoor, India carried strikes on terror camps across the Line of Control, after a militant attack in April killed civilians. The situation led to exchanges of fire and a short, dangerous escalation. A ceasefire later reduced immediate hostilities. Different accounts remain about who persuaded both sides to step back. India says its own military channels brought the pause.
By linking his claims of crisis management to trade talks, Trump framed trade measures as a tool to influence behaviour. He said he had been 'doing a trade deal with India' and implied that progress depended on calmer relations. He gave no firm date for a deal, but he suggested one may be coming soon. Officials from India or the United States have not yet released a detailed timetable.
India has consistently pushed back against the idea that a third country, meaning the US, was the key to ending the May escalation. New Delhi has said that military and diplomatic channels between India and Pakistan resolved the situation. Independent reporters and analysts have noted the differing accounts and called for careful checks on specific claims, such as the number of aircraft shot down.
The significance of what Trump said
Trump's words matter because they come at an APEC meeting with many leaders present. Praise for a foreign leader combined with claims of influencing a regional military crisis draws attention. The suggestion of a trade deal with India is important for business leaders and diplomats. If trade talks do move quickly, they could change economic ties and political relations between Washington and New Delhi.
Donald Trump's remarks mixed warm praise with blunt and dramatic claims about past events. Some parts of his account are disputed by official Indian sources. For now, his suggestion of a near-term trade deal with India remains a statement to watch rather than a confirmed agreement.
(With ANI inputs)
