The White House stated on Friday that President Donald Trump is looking to see the India-Pakistan conflict escalate “as soon as possible.”
This statement from press secretary Karoline Leavitt came as tensions rose following India’s strike on nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, known as “Operation Sindoah,” which occurred earlier this week. This action was a strong response to the recent Pahargam massacre on April 22, in which 26 people, mostly tourists, lost their lives.
“The president has expressed his desire for this to escalate quickly. He recognizes that these two nations have had issues for many years, long before he took office,” Leavitt mentioned.
She also noted that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the national security adviser are actively involved in this situation.
Leavitt responded to inquiries regarding the US’s role in mediating the conflict. She mentioned that Trump maintains “good relations” with both countries’ leaders, with Rubio continually engaging and working towards resolving the issue.
On Thursday, Secretary of State Rubio had separate conversations with Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar and Pakistani Prime Minister Shebaz Sharif, stressing the need for de-escalation and reiterating the measures Pakistan needs to implement to curb its support for terrorist organizations.
During his conversation, Jaishankar made it clear that India would strongly respond to any attempts by Pakistan to escalate tensions.
