A Pakistani journalist faced a sharp rebuff from the US state department official after attempting to question Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s stance on de-escalation talks between India and Pakistan. During a briefing on Wednesday, the Pakistani journalist portrayed former US President Donald Trump as a peace broker in the India-Pakistan standoff and claimed that India, particularly PM Modi, did not welcome Trump’s supposed ceasefire efforts.
"Pakistan welcomed President Trump's efforts for bringing the ceasefire between Pakistan and India, and they believe that President Trump could win a Nobel Peace Prize if he were to bring peace between Pakistan and India on the Kashmir issue. But Prime Minister Modi did not welcome this effort... Does that disappoint this building at all, the attitude of Narendra Modi of not welcoming this peace deal," the reporter asked Tommy Pigott, principal deputy spokesperson at the US department of state.
Sidestepping the pointed query, Pigott emphasised that the US was focused on maintaining the ceasefire. “That is what we are happy to see. That's where our focus remains. And we want to see a ceasefire be maintained, and we want to encourage direct communication. That is our focus here. Our focus is the ceasefire,” he said. Pigott reiterated that both India and Pakistan should maintain direct communication and pursue peace.
While Trump has repeatedly claimed that his administration facilitated the India-Pakistan ceasefire, India has asserted that it was Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) who reached out to his Indian counterpart seeking a truce, driven by pressure after Indian strikes.
On Trump’s Nobel Prize prospects
Responding to the reporter’s claim that Trump deserved a Nobel Peace Prize for his role in easing India-Pakistan tensions, Pigott described Trump as a "peacemaker."
"He's a peacemaker. He values peace. He's also a dealmaker, and he has shown that again and again and again in terms of both pursuing an America First agenda but also pursuing peace and wanting to see peace and conflicts come to an end," Pigott said.
The journalist also brought up the use of Israeli drones by India during Operation Sindoor and questioned whether that might create complications between Pakistan and Israel, given Trump's Abraham Accords aimed at fostering ties among Jews, Muslims, and Christians.
Pigott, however, steered the conversation back to Washington’s stated priorities: maintaining the ceasefire and encouraging direct dialogue between India and Pakistan. He reiterated that the US focus remains on resolving conflicts through peaceful means.
"Pakistan welcomed President Trump's efforts for bringing the ceasefire between Pakistan and India, and they believe that President Trump could win a Nobel Peace Prize if he were to bring peace between Pakistan and India on the Kashmir issue. But Prime Minister Modi did not welcome this effort... Does that disappoint this building at all, the attitude of Narendra Modi of not welcoming this peace deal," the reporter asked Tommy Pigott, principal deputy spokesperson at the US department of state.
Sidestepping the pointed query, Pigott emphasised that the US was focused on maintaining the ceasefire. “That is what we are happy to see. That's where our focus remains. And we want to see a ceasefire be maintained, and we want to encourage direct communication. That is our focus here. Our focus is the ceasefire,” he said. Pigott reiterated that both India and Pakistan should maintain direct communication and pursue peace.
While Trump has repeatedly claimed that his administration facilitated the India-Pakistan ceasefire, India has asserted that it was Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) who reached out to his Indian counterpart seeking a truce, driven by pressure after Indian strikes.
On Trump’s Nobel Prize prospects
Responding to the reporter’s claim that Trump deserved a Nobel Peace Prize for his role in easing India-Pakistan tensions, Pigott described Trump as a "peacemaker."
"He's a peacemaker. He values peace. He's also a dealmaker, and he has shown that again and again and again in terms of both pursuing an America First agenda but also pursuing peace and wanting to see peace and conflicts come to an end," Pigott said.
The journalist also brought up the use of Israeli drones by India during Operation Sindoor and questioned whether that might create complications between Pakistan and Israel, given Trump's Abraham Accords aimed at fostering ties among Jews, Muslims, and Christians.
Pigott, however, steered the conversation back to Washington’s stated priorities: maintaining the ceasefire and encouraging direct dialogue between India and Pakistan. He reiterated that the US focus remains on resolving conflicts through peaceful means.
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