Former U.S. President Donald Trump has once again stirred controversy on the international stage after referencing the India-Pakistan conflict during a speech in Florida on Friday. While addressing his foreign policy achievements, Trump claimed credit for brokering peace between Cambodia and Thailand and, in the same breath, referenced his previous attempts to “mediate tensions” between India and Pakistan during his presidency.
“I’ve done things nobody could do — I brought Cambodia and Thailand together. And remember, I tried to bring India and Pakistan together too. No one was talking about that until I did,” Trump said at a campaign-style rally.
This is not the first time Trump has alluded to playing a role in South Asian diplomacy. During his term, he repeatedly offered to mediate between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir issue — a stance that drew sharp reactions from New Delhi, which maintains that Kashmir is a bilateral matter.
India has consistently rejected third-party mediation in its disputes with Pakistan, reaffirming that dialogue must be bilateral and rooted in the Simla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration. Meanwhile, Trump’s latest remarks have reignited debate on the appropriateness and accuracy of his claims, especially as he prepares for a potential 2024 comeback.
While there has been no official response yet from either New Delhi or Islamabad, analysts suggest that Trump’s statement could provoke renewed diplomatic scrutiny, especially at a time when South Asia remains sensitive to external commentary on regional issues.
On the Cambodia-Thailand front, both nations agreed to de-escalate tensions along their shared border in early 2025, following months of intermittent clashes. However, there is little verifiable evidence of direct U.S. involvement in the ceasefire negotiations.
As Trump continues to tout his international credentials on the campaign trail, global observers are watching closely — especially when South Asia is brought into the conversation.
