'We settled it through trade': Trump brings up India-Pakistan ceasefire during meeting with Ramaphosa

US President Donald Trump once again brought up the India-Pakistan ceasefire during a meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, claiming that he “settled it” after both sides exchanged cross-border fire following New Delhi’s Operation Sindoor.

“If you take a look at what we just did with Pakistan and India. We settled that whole, and I think I settled it through trade,” Trump told Ramaphosa. He noted that the US has been pursuing major trade deals with both countries, adding, “And I said, ‘What are you guys doing?’”

Trump has been saying that he “helped” India and Pakistan reach a ceasefire along the border earlier this month, a claim that New Delhi has not confirmed. However, Pakistan has “thanked” the US president for his role in stopping the fight more than once.

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Talking about the escalation, Trump said, “Somebody had to be the last one to shoot. But the shooting was getting worse and worse, bigger and bigger, deeper and deeper into the country. And we spoke to them, and I think we, you know, I hate to say we got it settled, and then two days later, something happens, and they say it’s Trump’s fault.”

Essentially, hours after Trump announced on Truth Social that the US had facilitated a ceasefire between the two countries, Pakistan broke the truce and continued firing drones, which India eventually thwarted.

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#WATCH | US President Donald Trump says, "If you take a look at what we just did with Pakistan and India, we settled that whole thing, and I think I settled it through trade. We're doing a big deal with India. We're doing a big deal with Pakistan...Somebody had to be the last one… pic.twitter.com/oaM6nCJCLi

— ANI (@ANI) May 21, 2025

Praising the leadership of both countries, the US president said, “But… Pakistan has got some excellent people and some really good, great leader. And India is my friend, Modi,” to which Ramaphosa responded, “Modi, mutual friend.”