Trump praises PM Shehbaz as ‘terrific man’, recalls India-Pakistan mediation at UNGA

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday again claimed credit for helping avert a full-fledged war between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan, while calling Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif a “terrific man” during his address to the United Nations General Assembly. Addressing the opening session of the 81st UN General Assembly, Trump highlighted what he described as his diplomatic achievements over the past year, saying he had helped settle eight wars, including the conflict between India and Pakistan. “Since I took office, it has been my great honour to settle eight wars and in so doing, become friendly with the leaders of many of those countries,” he said. Trump says Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif is 'a terrific man' pic.twitter.com/73iihZ4IDY — Pakistan TV Digital (@PakistanTVcom) September 22, 2026 “It was a great honour to do it,” Trump told the gathering of world leaders, including PM Shehbaz, who arrived in New York on Monday to attend the UNGA session, adding that he had used his “very relationships” to help reach the settlements. “Very special relationships to this day, very, very special trade, the use of tariffs and the threat of tariffs and various other reasons depending on the country,” he said. Trump specifically highlighted his role in the India-Pakistan conflict while also referring to other settlements involving Cambodia and Thailand, Kosovo and Serbia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as the war in Gaza. PM Sharif arrives at UN headquarters to attend the UNGA session pic.twitter.com/dUqSGvtygv — Pakistan TV Digital (@PakistanTVcom) September 22, 2026 He said “almost every one” of the countries involved had written him a letter of thanks, singling out PM Shehbaz, whom he described as a “terrific man”. “The prime minister of Pakistan, terrific man, said that Donald Trump was responsible for saving 30 million lives, and probably many more than that,” Trump said. This is not the first time President Trump has publicly praised the premier; he previously commended PM Shehbaz and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, calling them “two fantastic people”. At the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace, he also praised PM Shehbaz’s leadership while recalling Pakistan’s role in halting regional escalation with India. Trump has on other occasions praised Field Marshal Munir, describing him as a “highly respected general”, a “great fighter” and “my favourite”. Shehbaz, meanwhile, has previously described Trump as a “man of peace” and praised his efforts to end conflicts around the world. Thanking Trump for his role in mediating the ceasefire between India and Pakistan following their four-day military conflict in May, the prime minister had said the US president helped “avert a major catastrophe in South Asia”. Read More: 'Two fantastic people': Trump all praise again for PM Shehbaz, CDF Munir after Hormuz breakthrough The Pakistan-US relationship experienced a significant thaw in 2025–2026, transitioning from a cold period to warm, strategic, and pragmatic engagement during Trump's second term. This shift was largely driven by a major reset in relations following President Trump's intervention in regional conflicts, particularly his role in brokering a ceasefire between Pakistan and India in May 2025. The first thaw in Pakistan-US relations came via secret counterterrorism exchanges, signalling substantive cooperation. In March last year, Trump unexpectedly praised Pakistan’s counterterrorism efforts during a national address, prompting a policy shift. The short but intense May skirmish with India in May 2025 became a decisive turning point, showcasing Pakistan’s military discipline, strategic focus, and asymmetric capabilities — qualities that reportedly surprised Trump. Despite India’s repeated denials, PM Shehbaz continued to praise President Trump for his role in brokering a ceasefire between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, and nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize, saying his intervention had helped save millions of lives. The praise was reciprocated, with Trump commending the premier and also lauding CDF Munir, as he reiterated claims that he had helped avert a war between Pakistan and India in May 2025. Ties between the countries took a further turn when Trump invited CDF Munir to a luncheon — the first such meeting for a Pakistani military chief — followed by a red-carpet visit to US Central Command headquarters for high-level talks. Following a ceasefire after the prolonged war in Gaza, Trump announced the formation of a “Board of Peace” that included Pakistan, again singling out PM Shehbaz for praise during its inaugural summit. Read: Trump lavishes praise on CDF Munir Addressing the event, Trump said, “I like this guy,” referring to the premier, as he recounted efforts that led to last year’s ceasefire between Pakistan and India. He also praised CDF Munir during his remarks. In June this year, President Trump credited Pakistan with “really helping” the United States secure a peace deal with Iran while especially praising Field Marshal Munir and PM Shehbaz. “In Pakistan, you have Field Marshal Asim Munir, who is great, and you have the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and they just get along great,” he said during an interview with Axios.