Donald Trump says Pak-Afghan conflict 'easy' for him to solve

In a blend of diplomacy, bravado, and self-congratulatory reflection, US President Donald Trump spoke to the media on Friday during a bilateral luncheon with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, asserting that the escalating hostilities between Afghanistan and Pakistan would be “an easy” problem for him to solve — “if” he were called upon to intervene.

“I do understand Pakistan attacked, or there is an attack going on with Afghanistan. That’s an easy one for me to solve if I have to solve that,” Trump said, highlighting his characteristic confidence in handling global conflicts.

The remarks come against the backdrop of renewed violence along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Pakistan launched fresh airstrikes targeting terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan, following a gun-and-bomb attack on a military installation in North Waziristan.

These strikes unfolded just hours after Islamabad and Kabul extended a two-day ceasefire, which had temporarily stemmed hostilities between the two nations. The unfolding tensions have cast a shadow over the expected peace talks in Doha, leaving regional observers anxious about the fragility of the truce.

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Trump, in his trademark self-assured style, framed himself as a guardian of life, claiming to have saved millions of lives and predicting inevitable “success” should he take charge of resolving the Afghanistan-Pakistan conflict.

“I like stopping people from being killed. I have saved millions and millions of lives, and I think we are going to have success with this war,” he said, casting himself as both peacemaker and protector in one sweeping statement.

In a tangent reflective of his personal brand, the US President lamented his perceived snub by the Nobel Peace Committee, citing his track record in resolving “eight wars”.

“You know we resolved eight others. It’s funny how people say this — if you get this one… every time I do one, they forget about that one. I solved eight wars,” Trump said, adding with a hint of wry amusement, “Every time I solve one, they say if you solve the next one, you are going to get the Nobel Prize.”

However, he quickly downplayed the significance of the Nobel, emphasizing that his motivations were rooted in saving lives, not accolades. Without naming her, he referred to María Corina Machado, the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, as “a very nice woman” and graciously brushed aside the award.

“I did not get the Nobel prize. Somebody got it, was a very nice woman, very nice, I don’t know who she is, but she was very generous. I just care about saving lives,” Trump said, reiterating his narrative of humanitarian intervention over personal glory.

As global attention watches the escalating tension between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Trump’s remarks combine reassurance, audacity, and spectacle — painting a picture of a leader eager to cast himself as a peacemaker above politics, a savior above scrutiny, and a negotiator whose confidence, as ever, knows no bounds.

With PTI inputs