U.S. President Donald Trump expressed that the armed conflict between India and Pakistan is "a shameful situation" and stated that he hopes "they resolve it themselves." Unlike past international disputes where the U.S. exercised diplomatic leadership, this time the Kashmir crisis has seen a virtually passive approach.
According to CNN on the 9th (local time), President Trump said on the 7th, "I know and get along well with both India and Pakistan" and noted, "I hope they stop now. I'm willing to help if I can," but did not take any substantial actions. The State Department stated that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in touch with senior officials from both countries, but there are no signs that the U.S. will step in as a mediator.
CNN noted that the Trump administration has effectively abandoned traditional U.S. diplomatic strategies. President Trump has focused on promoting direct benefits through America’s economic and military power rather than multilateral diplomacy or international cooperation. Amid a win-lose mindset that does not distinguish between allies and adversaries, U.S. diplomatic leadership is gradually weakening.
President Trump has also failed to achieve success as a peace mediator in international conflicts such as the Gaza Strip and the Ukraine war. The claim by the Houthi rebels in Yemen to halt maritime attacks after U.S. airstrikes has not yet been verified. The diplomatic offensive led by special envoy Steve Witkoff, who lacks diplomatic experience, has not gained credibility.
Moreover, there are indications that President Trump pressured the Ukrainian government for a rare earth metal development agreement and attempted to displace Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Analysis suggests that the reason Trump is not actively intervening in the Kashmir issue is because there are no clear economic benefits for the U.S. in the region.
In the past, the U.S. has played the role of mediator several times in the Middle East and South Asia. Jimmy Carter facilitated the peace agreement between Egypt and Israel, and Bill Clinton contributed to the end of the war in the former Yugoslavia. Trump also has a history of easing the nuclear confrontation crisis between India and Pakistan in 2019. However, in the three months since the start of his second administration, he has shown no in-depth strategy in existing disputes and has not displayed a willingness to intervene in the current Kashmir situation.
In response, Tim Willersee, a researcher at the Royal United Services Institute in London, told CNN, "The U.S. no longer wants to be the world's police," adding that "Trump is likely to be more sympathetic to Prime Minister Modi of India than to Pakistan."
As the U.S. has not acted as a traditional mediator in this situation, some Middle Eastern countries are showing movements to fill the void. The Prime Minister of Qatar has communicated with the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan, establishing dialogue channels, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar has expressed full support for international efforts to resolve issues between the two countries. However, reports have emerged that the Qatari king has only directly called Prime Minister Modi, leading to interpretations in Pakistan that this is a diplomatic slight.