'President Trump wants de-escalation as quickly as possible': White House on India-Pak conflict

As tensions between India and Pakistan escalated, the White House on Friday said that President Donald Trump wants the conflict to “de-escalate as quickly as possible”.

Addressing a press briefing on Friday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that diplomatic outreach efforts are on, with Secretary of State and NSA Marco Rubio being in constant communication with the leaders of both the countries.

“The President has expressed that he wants this to de-escalate as quickly as possible. He understands these two countries have been at odds with one another for decades, long before President Trump was here at the Oval Office. However, he has good relations with the leaders of both countries. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been in constant communication with the leaders of both countries, trying to bring this conflict to an end,” said Leavitt.

Military action between India and Pakistan intensified following India’s strike on nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir(PoK) under ‘Operation Sindoor’ early Wednesday.

India’s strike was a powerful retaliation to the Pahalgam massacre on April 22, in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed.

With inputs from agencies