US President Donald Trump has once again revised his claims about aircraft losses during the India-Pakistan military standoff, offering a fresh figure that differs from his earlier statements.
A day after saying that 11 planes were shot down during the confrontation, Trump on Friday said 10 jets were downed. The remarks came as he addressed reporters following a ruling by the Supreme Court of the United States striking down his emergency tariffs.
During the interaction, Trump shifted from discussing trade and the court decision to highlighting what he described as the success of his tariff policies in strengthening American interests.
Asked about a trade deal with India, he said his relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi remained strong and that ties between the two countries were unchanged.
He then returned to his repeated assertion that he had prevented a full-scale war between New Delhi and Islamabad. Referring to tensions between India and Pakistan, Trump claimed the two nations were on the brink of a nuclear conflict and that multiple aircraft had been shot down. "Ten planes," he said - a number that differs from his previous statements.
At another recent appearance, Trump had claimed that 11 "very expensive jets" were shot down. Earlier this month, he cited 10. Over the past year, his figures have shifted multiple times - from five jets initially, to seven in August, eight in November, then 10, and now 11.
Trump has repeatedly maintained - more than 80 times in recent months - that he personally mediated between India and Pakistan during their May 2025 standoff. He has alleged that trade leverage, including the threat of steep tariffs, played a decisive role in de-escalating tensions.
"I called them and said, listen, I'm not doing trade deals with you if you don't settle this," Trump said at a recent event. He claimed he warned both sides that he would impose 200 percent tariffs if hostilities continued.
During his remarks, Trump also referred to Modi, saying he had spoken to the Indian leader and describing him as "excited."
India has consistently rejected any suggestion of third-party mediation. New Delhi has maintained that there was no external intervention in resolving the crisis. While acknowledging that there were losses during the confrontation, the Indian government has not confirmed the loss of aircraft or provided specific figures, nor has it endorsed Trump's shifting claims.
The May 2025 standoff followed India's launch of Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians. India has described its actions as calibrated and focused, reiterating that it acted in self-defence and without outside mediation.
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