Trump vows to ‘solve’ Pakistan-Afghanistan tensions after Middle East trip

• Says Gaza ceasefire will be the eighth conflict he has helped end.
• Claims resolving India-Pakistan dispute within 24hrs using tariffs.
• Stresses he didn’t act for the Nobel Peace Prize but to “save lives.”

US President Donald Trump on Sunday said he was aware of the escalating tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, claiming he would address the situation once he returns from the Middle East, as he described himself as “good at solving wars.”

Trump, who reiterated his claim of having resolved several long-standing global conflicts, including the dispute between India and Pakistan, said the Gaza ceasefire would be the eighth conflict he has helped end.

“This will be my eighth war that I have solved, and I hear there is a war now going on between Pakistan and Afghanistan. I said, I’ll have to wait till I get back. I am doing another one. Because I am good at solving wars,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he began a flight from Washington to Israel.

“Think about India, Pakistan. Think about some of the wars that were going on for years. We had one going for 31, one going for 32, one going for 37 years, with millions of people being killed in every country, and I got every one of those done, for the most part, within a day. It’s pretty good…,” he added.

Trump also spoke about the Nobel Peace prize, stating, “It’s an honour to do it. I saved millions of lives. In all fairness to the Nobel committee, it was for 2024. 

“This was picked for 2024. But there are those who say you could make an exception because a lot of things happened during 2025 that are done and complete and great. But I did not do this for the Nobel. I did this for saving lives.”

He also took credit for resolving some disputes by leveraging economic tools like trade and tariffs.

“I settled a few of the wars just based on tariffs. For example, between India and Pakistan, I said, if you guys want to fight a war and you have nuclear weapons, I am going to put big tariffs on you both, like 100%, 150%, and 200%. I said I am putting tariffs. I had that thing settled in 24 hours. If I didn’t have tariffs, you could have never settled that war,” Trump added.

Trump is due to arrive in Israel on Monday (today) to address the Knesset, the parliament, before travelling to Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt for a world leaders’ summit on ending the Gaza war.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will also attend the summit, an Axios reporter said on Sunday, citing a senior Palestinian official.

Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner addressed a rally in Tel Aviv on Saturday, which many Israelis hoped would be the final one, urging the release of hostages and an end to the war.

The US, along with Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, mediated what has been described as a first-phase agreement between Israel and Hamas for a ceasefire and the release of hostages by Hamas and prisoners and detainees by Israel.

“For two years we (have been) waiting for this day for this moment… All of us feel happy for the family, for the hostages, that finally…we will see them,” said demonstrator Dalia Yosef, thanking Trump.