New Delhi: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday took a swipe at U.S. President Donald Trump, questioning his past claims of having de-escalated tensions between India and Pakistan while expressing concern over Washington's inaction in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran.
Speaking to reporters, Raut drew attention to Trump's repeated assertions that he had "stopped a war" between India and Pakistan during his presidency. “Trump said he forced Prime Minister Narendra Modi to step back from a potential war with Pakistan, citing the nuclear threat. Then why is he silent now when Israel and Iran—both nuclear-capable nations—are engaged in a dangerous conflict?” Raut asked, as quoted by ANI.
The senior Shiv Sena leader said that visuals from the Iran-Israel confrontation were deeply disturbing. “The way this war is unfolding, with images of devastation and death, it is terrifying. If Trump could stop India and Pakistan back then, why can’t he intervene now?” he added.
Raut further accused Trump of applying double standards. “He pressured India in the name of global trade and peace, yet today, both Iran and Israel are asserting they’re fighting for their sovereignty and honor. Neither Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is ready to back down. So why the silence from Trump now?”
He also criticized Prime Minister Modi, implying that India backed down in its conflict with Pakistan due to Trump’s pressure. “Trump stopped our war. We stepped back. Why? And now, the same Trump is watching silently as Iran and Israel exchange missile strikes,” he said.
Raut’s comments come amid escalating hostilities between Tehran and Tel Aviv, which began Friday after an Israeli strike reportedly targeted Iranian nuclear facilities and killed several top scientists. Iran retaliated with a barrage of projectiles, many of which evaded Israel’s Iron Dome defenses and struck their targets.
Raut also took a dig at Modi’s foreign visits amid the global turmoil. “Modi is preparing for trips to Canada, Cyprus, and Croatia, where he’ll deliver speeches. But when our own border was under threat, Trump was the one calling the shots,” he said.
Earlier, New Delhi had dismissed Trump’s claims of brokering peace between India and Pakistan. The Indian government maintained that the ceasefire understanding was a result of direct military-to-military communication, with Pakistan’s Director-General of Military Operations (DGMO) reaching out to his Indian counterpart after intense breakout of military escalation.
