Former United States National Security Advisor (NSA) John Bolton has dismissed US President Donald Trump’s claim of mediating a stoppage of fire between India and Pakistan, calling it a characteristic move and “nothing personal to India”. Bolton said Trump’s assertion was merely part of his trademark behaviour of claiming credit for developments, even when his actual involvement may be limited.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Bolton remarked, “This is Donald Trump, who takes credit for everything. It may be irritating, probably is irritating to many people, but it’s nothing against India. It’s just Trump being Trump.”
His comments came days after President Trump claimed that the United States had successfully mediated a ‘ceasefire’ (stoppage of firing, in actuality) between the two nuclear-armed neighbours following the recent escalation along the Line of Control (LoC), triggered by India’s cross-border offensive dubbed ‘Operation Sindoor’.
Operation Sindoor and the Stoppage of Fire
Tensions between India and Pakistan flared after a devastating terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir on April 22, which left 26 civilians dead. In response, the Indian armed forces launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting nine terror infrastructure sites operated by Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu-Kashmir (PoJK).
What followed were four days of intense military exchanges, with Pakistan retaliating through drone incursions, unarmed aerial vehicles, and heavy shelling along the border.
However, to the surprise of many, on May 10, a stoppage of fire understanding was announced—not by New Delhi or Islamabad, but by President Trump himself.
Trump’s Surprising Declaration
Taking to his social media platform Truth Social, Trump declared: “After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence.”
He went further during a press conference with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, saying, “If you take a look at what we just did with Pakistan and India, we settled that whole thing. I think I settled it through trade. We’re doing a big deal with India. We’re doing a big deal with Pakistan.”
The former President even floated the idea of mediating the long-standing dispute over Jammu and Kashmir.
India Pushes Back Firmly
India promptly and firmly rebutted Trump’s claim. In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reiterated that any matters pertaining to Jammu and Kashmir are strictly bilateral and will be resolved directly between India and Pakistan.
“As you are aware, we have a long-standing national position that any issues pertaining to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir have to be addressed bilaterally by India and Pakistan. That stated policy has not changed,” said the MEA. It also emphasised that “the outstanding matter is the vacation of illegally occupied Indian Territory by Pakistan.”
The ministry further clarified that while conversations were held between Indian and US leaders during the military escalation, the topic of trade never came up.
“From the time Operation Sindoor commenced on 7th May till the understanding on cessation of firing and military action on 10th May, there were conversations between Indian and U.S. leaders. The issue of trade did not come up in any of these discussions,” the statement said.
Bolton’s Straight Talk: “Trump Jumps In Before Others Take Credit”
Bolton, confirmed that President Trump might have indeed spoken with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US Vice President JD Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. But he argued that such calls are standard diplomatic practice and do not necessarily equate to brokering a truce.
“I’m sure other countries might also be calling to see what they can do. It’s typical of Trump because he would jump in before everyone else could take credit,” he said.
#WATCH | Washington, DC: On President Donald Trump claiming credit for the ceasefire between India and Pakistan, former National Security Advisor of the United States, John Bolton says, “… It’s nothing personal to India. This is Donald Trump, who takes credit for everything. I… pic.twitter.com/qVmZmzIK1N
— ANI (@ANI) May 21, 2025
When asked whether Trump’s comments were directed against India, Bolton dismissed any such notion. “It’s nothing against India,” he emphasised. “It’s just Trump being Trump.”
Background: Trump’s Previous Kashmir Remarks and Controversies
This is not the first time Donald Trump has inserted himself into India-Pakistan affairs. In 2019, during a meeting with then-Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, Trump claimed that Prime Minister Modi had asked him to mediate on Kashmir—an assertion India categorically denied.
His latest remarks, once again, appear to be part of a broader pattern of asserting international influence, especially in volatile geopolitical regions, often without concrete diplomatic backing.
While the stoppage of fire between India and Pakistan has brought a temporary pause to hostilities. As India stands firm on its sovereign policies regarding Jammu and Kashmir, former NSA John Bolton’s candid assessment perhaps best captures the sentiment within diplomatic circles: “It’s just Trump being Trump.”
