‘Nothing like money’: Trump claims 200% tariff threat stopped Indo-Pak war, raises downed jets tally to 11 | World News

US President Donald Trump once again claimed responsibility for stopping the India-Pakistan war, this time saying 11 jets were shot down during the conflict; This is the highest figure he has ever stated. Speaking at the Peace Board Event, Trump said that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif personally told him that he saved 25 million lives by threatening both countries with 200 percent tariffs.

But this isn’t the first time Trump has made this claim; He revised the number of downed jets at least five times; Starting at five in July 2025, then seven, eight, ten and now eleven. India has consistently denied any US role in the ceasefire, arguing that Pakistan’s military commanders had requested a cessation of hostilities on May 10.

Speaking at the Peace Board Event, US President Donald Trump said, “He (Pakistani Prime Minister) said in front of our Chief of Staff that President Trump saved 25 million lives by stopping the war between us and India.”

Trump added: “The war was raging. The planes were being shot down. I got on the phone with both of them and I knew them a little bit. I knew Prime Minister Modi very well. I called them and said, listen, if you don’t get this done, I’m not going to make a trade deal with you two. And all of a sudden we made a deal. I said if you fight, I’ll put a 200 percent tariff on each of your countries. They both wanted to do it. But when it comes to money, there’s no such thing as money. When it comes to losing a lot of money, I guess They said 11 jets were shot down.

 

#WRISTWATCH | At the Peace Board Event, US President Donald Trump says: “…He (Pakistani Prime Minister) said in front of our Chief of Staff that President Trump saved 25 million lives when he stopped the war between us and India… The war was raging. Planes were being shot down. And I… pic.twitter.com/pm5eT7xjz3 — ANI (@ANI) February 19, 2026

US-Iran tensions

In a new warning to Iran, US President Donald Trump called on Tehran to “make a deal” and stop actions that threaten regional stability, warning that failure to do so could lead to unspecified “bad things.”

“Now is the time for Iran to join us on a path that complements what we’re doing. If they join us, that would be great. If they don’t join us, that would be great, too. But that would be a very different path. They can’t continue to threaten the stability of the entire region. And they need to make a deal. Or if that doesn’t happen, if they don’t, bad things will happen,” he said.

Trump also said Washington may soon decide whether to step up its approach toward Iran and that if a deal is not reached, the situation may need to be taken “one step further.”

“Now we may have to go a step further, or we may not. Maybe we will make a deal. You will probably find out in the next 10 days,” he said.

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