Reacting to the devastating Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, mostly tourists, former US President Donald Trump called it “a bad one” and emphasized his close ties with both India and Pakistan. Speaking aboard Air Force One en route to Rome on April 25, Trump acknowledged the historic tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, particularly over Kashmir.
“I am very close to India, and I’m very close to Pakistan. They’ve had that fight for a thousand years in Kashmir. That was a bad one,” Trump said, referring to the brutal April 22 assault. “There have been tensions on that border for 1,500 years. It’s been the same, but I’m sure they’ll figure it out one way or the other.”
The Pahalgam attack, one of the deadliest since the 2019 Pulwama bombing, has triggered a wave of outrage across India. In response, New Delhi has taken a series of bold steps against Pakistan—including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, revoking visas for Pakistani nationals, expelling military attachés, and closing the Attari land border.
Islamabad swiftly retaliated, shutting its airspace to Indian airlines and halting bilateral trade, even through third countries. It also declared that any disruption to its share of water under the Indus treaty would be viewed as an “act of war.”
With global concern rising, leaders from Saudi Arabia and Iran have also stepped in, offering to mediate as the subcontinent stares down a new wave of hostilities.
