US President Donald Trump Reacts To Operation Sindoor | US President Donald Trump on Wednesday called for an immediate halt to hostilities between India and Pakistan, offering to mediate peace after New Delhi launched Operation Sindoor, a coordinated military strike on terror camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan’s Punjab province. The operation was in direct response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 civilians.
Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump described the escalation as “terrible” and expressed concern over the growing military tension between the nuclear-armed neighbours.
“I want to see them stop. Hopefully they can stop now — they’ve gone tit for tat,” said Trump. “I know both [countries] very well, and if I can do anything to help, I will be there.”
US President Reacts to India’s Cross-Border Operation Sindoor
Operation Sindoor was launched shortly after midnight on Wednesday, targeting nine terror-linked locations across PoK and deep inside Pakistan. The Indian strikes reportedly killed Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar’s family members and top aides, sending a strong message in response to what New Delhi has called Pakistan’s continued sheltering of anti-India terror groups.
The Pakistani military confirmed the attacks, saying that 31 people were killed and 57 injured in missile strikes and cross-border firing along the Line of Control (LoC). Cities in Punjab province, including key terror hubs, were among those hit.
Trump: ‘They’ve Been Fighting for Centuries’
Trump, reacting to media questions about India’s military retaliation, said his administration was briefed just moments before stepping into the Oval Office briefing.
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“It’s a shame,” Trump said. “They’ve been fighting for many, many decades — and centuries, actually, if you really think about it.”
The Republican leader stressed that he maintains good relationships with both nations and would be willing to assist diplomatically if the situation worsens.
Global Reactions and Regional Fallout
As tensions flared across the subcontinent, leaders and political figures weighed in:
- Russia urged restraint, calling for dialogue between the two nations.
- Bangladesh-born author Taslima Nasrin made headlines with her blunt remarks blaming Islamic extremism for regional terror.
- Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal CM, placed her administration on high alert, urging media restraint amid the crisis.
- Farooq Abdullah claimed India would never go so far as to weaponize water access despite threats.
- Jailed ex-PM Imran Khan described the strikes as pushing South Asia toward a “nuclear flashpoint.”
Meanwhile, cleric Abdul Aziz Ghazi of Islamabad’s Lal Masjid controversially stated that Pakistan was bombing its own people, exposing cracks within the nation’s own rhetoric on the crisis.
Trump’s Mediation Offer Rekindles Old Debate
This isn’t the first time President Trump has offered to mediate between India and Pakistan. In previous years, India has rejected third-party intervention, insisting that bilateral dialogue — without international involvement — is the only acceptable path forward.
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However, analysts note that the scale of Operation Sindoor and the severity of Pakistan’s losses may change the dynamics, especially if global powers begin to put pressure on both sides to de-escalate.
With over 1.5 million active troops between them and nuclear capabilities on both sides, India and Pakistan’s path forward remains fraught with risk. New Delhi has vowed continued action unless Islamabad cracks down decisively on terror elements. Pakistan, on the other hand, has threatened “retaliation at a time and place of its choosing.”
The coming days will be crucial in determining whether Trump’s call for calm gains diplomatic traction or falls flat amid a volatile regional climate.
