Trump Lauds PM Modi, Repeats India-Pakistan Ceasefire Claim

US President Donald Trump delivered candid and surprising remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi in South Korea, recounting an India-Pakistan tension and claiming his trade pressure brokered a rapid de-escalation.

October 29, 2025: In a dramatic appearance at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEOs Summit in South Korea, US President Donald Trump lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s personality while simultaneously branding him a “killer” and “tough as hell,” citing a past conversation about the India-Pakistan conflict.

Mr. Trump, who spoke highly of his relationship with PM Modi, described the Indian leader as the “nicest looking guy” and “like a father” before delivering the stark assessment: “He’s a killer, he’s as tough as hell.”

Recounting the Conflict Call

The most striking part of the President’s address was his recollection of a phone call with PM Modi during a period of heightened India-Pakistan tensions, which included reports of fighter jets being shot down.

Mr. Trump claimed he called both PM Modi and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, threatening to halt US trade deal negotiations with both nations if hostilities continued.

• Initial Response: According to Trump, both leaders initially insisted on continuing the conflict. He quoted PM Modi, even mimicking an accent, as saying, “No, we will fight.”
• The Turnaround: The President then claimed that within just two days, India had reached out to the United States expressing a willingness to adopt a “softer stance,” an outcome he described as “amazing.”

The claim by President Trump to have brokered a rapid ceasefire has been a repeated assertion, though it has previously been disputed by Indian officials who maintain that any de-escalation was a direct decision between the two nations’ militaries.

Trade Deal and Shared Respect

Amidst the anecdotes, Mr. Trump confirmed that he is actively working on a trade deal with India, a key focus of his Asia visit.

“I’m doing a trade deal with India, and I have great respect and love for Prime Minister Modi. We have a great relationship,” he stated.

He also extended praise to Pakistan’s leader, saying, “Likewise, the Prime Minister of Pakistan is a great guy. They have a Field Marshal. You know why he’s a Field Marshal? He’s a great fighter. And so I know them all.”

The comments come at a time when trade negotiations between the US and India are advancing, making the President’s personal and political assessment of the Indian Prime Minister a dominant talking point from the summit.