Trump Meets Mamdani, Resurrects His Favourite India-Pakistan Mediation Tale

Last Updated:November 23, 2025, 05:32 IST

The claim, however, stands in stark contrast to India’s consistent position that the ceasefire and all matters concerning the region are strictly bilateral

Donald Trump and Zohran Mamdani shaking hands in the White House. (File pic/AFP)

United States President Donald Trump used his first formal White House interaction with New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani to assert once again his long-standing and frequently repeated claim of having personally reduced tensions between India and Pakistan. The statement, which President Trump has now made over 60 times according to records, came during their meeting in the Oval Office on Friday, highlighting his administration’s perceived role as a global peace broker.

During the exchange, Trump referred to the military confrontation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours in May, specifically the period following India’s Operation Sindoor—a retaliatory strike on terror infrastructure after a deadly attack in Kashmir. Trump told reporters that he had brokered a truce, stating, “I did eight peace deals of countries, including India and Pakistan," and that his intervention was instrumental in bringing the situation under control. Earlier in the week, he had elaborated on his method, claiming he had threatened both nations with massive 350% tariffs if they did not halt hostilities, a claim he reiterated prevented a nuclear exchange.

The claim, however, stands in stark contrast to India’s consistent position that the ceasefire and all matters concerning the region are strictly bilateral, with New Delhi repeatedly rejecting any suggestion of third-party mediation. Indian officials have detailed that the cessation of hostilities was reached directly between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) following India’s strong response to cross-border aggression.

The meeting itself was notable as the first White House visit for Zohran Mamdani since his historic victory. Mamdani, a 34-year-old Democratic Socialist, made history by becoming New York City’s first South Asian and first Muslim mayor-elect. Despite their stark ideological differences—Trump had previously called Mamdani a “Communist Lunatic"—the meeting was described as surprisingly cordial. Both leaders agreed to focus on areas of shared concern, primarily New York’s affordability agenda, setting a rare example of political cooperation in the nation’s capital.

News world Trump Meets Mamdani, Resurrects His Favourite India-Pakistan Mediation Tale

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