NEW DELHI: Former US national security advisor John Bolton has dismissed Donald Trump ’s claims of brokering the ceasefire between India and Pakistan, saying the US President tends to “take credit for everything.”
Speaking to news agency ANI, Bolton said, “It’s nothing personal to India. This is Donald Trump, who takes credit for everything.” He added that Trump was likely attempting to grab the spotlight before others could. “It may be irritating, probably is irritating to many people, but it's nothing against India, it's just Trump being Trump,” Bolton remarked.
His comments come after Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social , to announce a “full and immediate ceasefire” between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, asserting that the US had played a key mediating role. “After a long night of talks mediated by the United States… Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence,” Trump wrote.
The ceasefire came in the wake of India’s ‘ Operation Sindoor ’, launched on May 7 in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians on April 22. The operation targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, killing over 100 terrorists from groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Pakistan responded with shelling and drone attacks, triggering intense clashes until an understanding on cessation of hostilities was reached on May 10.
India has firmly rejected Trump’s claims. In a statement, the ministry of external affairs said, “Any issues pertaining to the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir have to be addressed by India and Pakistan bilaterally. That stated policy has not changed.”
The MEA also clarified that while Indian and US leaders discussed the evolving military situation between May 7 and May 10, trade was not part of the conversation. “The issue of trade did not come up in any of these discussions,” it stated.
Bolton further backed India’s response, calling it “entirely justifiable.” He was quoted by ANI as saying , “India was certainly entitled to act in self-defence against locations inside Pakistan where the terrorist attack was planned and carried out from.”
He also raised concerns about Pakistan’s internal security and nuclear safety, echoing Indian defence minister Rajnath Singh’s warning about Islamabad’s nuclear arsenal. “We can never say that we have it under control… the risk of nuclear weapons falling into the hands of terrorists or irresponsible commanders would be very dangerous,” Bolton said.
Additionally, Bolton highlighted growing Chinese and Turkish military involvement in Pakistan, calling it a concern for India’s western flank.
India’s all-party outreach under Operation Sindoor also received Bolton’s backing. He stressed the importance of educating the world about India’s fight against terrorism. “It is unacceptable for innocent civilians to be harmed by terrorist attacks,” he told ANI, adding that India’s efforts to have terror groups like The Resistance Front listed by the UN were “significant.”
India continues to assert that the Pahalgam attack and its response remain bilateral matters, with no role for external mediation.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Bolton said, “It’s nothing personal to India. This is Donald Trump, who takes credit for everything.” He added that Trump was likely attempting to grab the spotlight before others could. “It may be irritating, probably is irritating to many people, but it's nothing against India, it's just Trump being Trump,” Bolton remarked.
#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
His comments come after Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social , to announce a “full and immediate ceasefire” between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, asserting that the US had played a key mediating role. “After a long night of talks mediated by the United States… Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence,” Trump wrote.
The ceasefire came in the wake of India’s ‘ Operation Sindoor ’, launched on May 7 in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians on April 22. The operation targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, killing over 100 terrorists from groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Pakistan responded with shelling and drone attacks, triggering intense clashes until an understanding on cessation of hostilities was reached on May 10.
India has firmly rejected Trump’s claims. In a statement, the ministry of external affairs said, “Any issues pertaining to the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir have to be addressed by India and Pakistan bilaterally. That stated policy has not changed.”
The MEA also clarified that while Indian and US leaders discussed the evolving military situation between May 7 and May 10, trade was not part of the conversation. “The issue of trade did not come up in any of these discussions,” it stated.
Bolton further backed India’s response, calling it “entirely justifiable.” He was quoted by ANI as saying , “India was certainly entitled to act in self-defence against locations inside Pakistan where the terrorist attack was planned and carried out from.”
He also raised concerns about Pakistan’s internal security and nuclear safety, echoing Indian defence minister Rajnath Singh’s warning about Islamabad’s nuclear arsenal. “We can never say that we have it under control… the risk of nuclear weapons falling into the hands of terrorists or irresponsible commanders would be very dangerous,” Bolton said.
Additionally, Bolton highlighted growing Chinese and Turkish military involvement in Pakistan, calling it a concern for India’s western flank.
India’s all-party outreach under Operation Sindoor also received Bolton’s backing. He stressed the importance of educating the world about India’s fight against terrorism. “It is unacceptable for innocent civilians to be harmed by terrorist attacks,” he told ANI, adding that India’s efforts to have terror groups like The Resistance Front listed by the UN were “significant.”
India continues to assert that the Pahalgam attack and its response remain bilateral matters, with no role for external mediation.
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