During a high-profile address in Saudi Arabia, US President Donald Trump portrayed himself as a global peace facilitator, even suggesting that India and Pakistan—longtime rivals with nuclear capabilities—should consider “having a nice dinner together” to further improve ties.

Speaking at the US-Saudi Investment Forum, held in the presence of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump claimed that his administration had averted a near-catastrophic conflict in South Asia. According to him, the de-escalation prevented the potential loss of millions of lives.

“I believe they’re actually getting along now,” Trump said, referring to India and Pakistan. “Maybe we could even get them together, Marco. Have a nice dinner. That’d be wonderful, wouldn’t it?”

The US President said the thaw in India-Pakistan relations came after negotiations involving Vice President JD Vance and Secretary Rubio. He credited his team’s diplomatic outreach and strategic use of trade incentives to help broker what he called a “historic ceasefire” between the two neighbours.

Trump remarked, “We said, look, let’s not trade nuclear weapons—let’s trade the beautiful things both countries produce. They have powerful, smart leaders, and we managed to stop what was rapidly escalating. Hopefully, it stays that way.”

India, however, has publicly stated that the agreement to observe the ceasefire followed direct military-level communication and not third-party involvement. While both countries acknowledged the ceasefire deal, New Delhi made it clear that all discussions took place bilaterally, without any mediation.

Despite India's rejection of outside intervention, Trump maintained that the US played a significant behind-the-scenes role. He applauded the efforts of Rubio, Vance, and other officials, describing the outcome as a diplomatic success.

Reflecting on the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that had triggered a surge in hostilities, Trump revealed that the May 10 ceasefire announcement was a turning point. “It started small and was getting worse by the day,” he said. “We came a long way. Millions could have died.”

Trump had previously offered to mediate the Kashmir dispute—a proposal firmly declined by India, which continues to insist that any talks with Pakistan must be conducted directly and without third-party involvement.