Trump’s Peace Claims: Examining the Record on Seven Global Conflicts

President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed to have “ended” or “solved” seven wars during his first seven months back in office, describing himself as averaging “about a war a month.” In recent statements, Trump has asserted that his diplomatic interventions, often backed by threats of trade tariffs, have successfully brought peace to multiple global hotspots.

But international relations experts say the reality is more nuanced. While Trump has played significant roles in deescalating several conflicts, some situations he cites were never formal wars, and in others, fighting has continued despite announced agreements.

Trump’s peace-making claims have gained attention as he has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by leaders in several countries where he claims to have intervened, including Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu and the governments of Pakistan and Cambodia.

“I’ve stopped six wars,” Trump declared in a July 26 Truth Social video. By August 19, in a Fox & Friends interview, the count had increased to seven. Trump has specifically cited his role in conflicts between India-Pakistan, Israel-Iran, Egypt-Ethiopia, Thailand-Cambodia, Serbia-Kosovo, Rwanda-Democratic Republic of Congo, and Armenia-Azerbaijan.

The Israel-Iran Conflict

Experts agree Trump deserves substantial credit for his role in ending the brief but intense Israel-Iran war that erupted in June. The 12-day conflict involved Israeli airstrikes against Iranian nuclear facilities and retaliatory missile attacks from Iran. The United States directly participated in military operations, dropping bunker-busting bombs on Iranian nuclear sites on June 21.

“I would give Trump credit for ending the war,” said Evelyn Farkas, executive director of Arizona State University’s McCain Institute. “It was a war — they were launching missiles against each other, war was declared by both sides, and Trump intervened.” A ceasefire was announced on June 24, with Trump’s military intervention and threat of further action playing key roles in bringing both sides to the table.

Thailand-Cambodia Border Conflict

The five-day armed conflict between Thailand and Cambodia in July resulted in at least 41 deaths and displaced over 260,000 people. Trump’s intervention came with significant leverage — he had previously announced 36% tariff rates on U.S. imports from both countries, set to take effect August 1.

In a series of calls with both nations’ leaders, Trump explicitly tied trade negotiations to peace. “I do not want to make any Deal, with either Country, if they are fighting — And I have told them so!” he wrote on Truth Social.

The Malaysian prime minister ultimately mediated a meeting between Thai and Cambodian leaders, which was “co-organized by the United States.” The resulting joint statement credited Trump for being “in contact with the leaders of both countries urging the leaders to find a peaceful solution.” Following the ceasefire, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick announced reduced tariff rates of 19% for both countries.

Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Process

The August 8 meeting at the White House between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev resulted in what the Trump administration called a “joint declaration on the outcomes of the Trump route for international peace and prosperity summit.”

This marked significant progress in the decades-long conflict centered on the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. Both leaders praised Trump for his role and pledged to continue peace efforts, though experts note the declaration is not a final peace agreement but rather an initialed peace plan that requires further implementation.

India-Pakistan Tensions

Trump has claimed he “stopped the war between Pakistan and India” following a series of drone and missile strikes between the nuclear-armed neighbors in May. Pakistan’s government has credited Trump with “decisive diplomatic intervention” and nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize.

However, the Indian government has explicitly denied U.S. involvement in the ceasefire. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated that “no talks were held at any level on the India-America trade deal or on the mediation between India and Pakistan by America.”

Nevertheless, independent analysis from Christopher Clary of the Henry L. Stimson Center suggests the U.S. did play “a major role in crisis management, especially in the final hours of the crisis,” with Secretary of State Marco Rubio taking a leading role.

Other Disputed Claims

Trump’s assertions about ending wars between Rwanda and Congo, Serbia and Kosovo, and Egypt and Ethiopia are more problematic.

While the U.S. did broker a peace deal between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo in June, violence continued afterward. The United Nations reported that “at least 319 civilians were killed by M23 fighters, aided by members of the Rwanda Defence Force” in July, contradicting Trump’s claim that “Nobody’s being killed.”

Regarding Serbia and Kosovo, Trump points to economic normalization agreements from his first term, but tensions remain high enough that NATO continues to maintain troops in the region “to deter renewed hostilities.”

As for Egypt and Ethiopia, experts note there was never an actual “shooting war” to end. The countries’ dispute over Ethiopia’s Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Nile River remains unresolved after 13 years of negotiations.

The White House, responding to questions about Trump’s claims, stated he was “referring to the seven conflicts that he’s highlighted many times – including multiple wars that lasted over 30 years before the President intervened and stopped the killing.”

While Trump’s diplomatic interventions have shown results in several conflicts, his claim of ending seven wars overstates his accomplishments in some cases and overlooks ongoing violence in others.