Trump ‘can’t force’ either side to accept Kashmir mediation

WASHINGTON: The US State Department said on Tuesday that President Donald Trump could offer to mediate between India and Pakis­tan on Kashmir, but cannot force either side to accept the offer — a subtle yet significant clarification of the US position on the decades-old dispute.

“As President Trump has stated, [everyone] has the right to define its own future. He offers his help, and it’s up to whoever he is offering it to, to whether or not they’ll accept it,” said State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce, when asked about Ind­ia’s continued refusal to engage with Trump’s repeated mediation offers.

This clarification indicates that while the Trump administration is open to playing a role in defusing South Asian tensions — especially in the wake of last month’s air combat bet­ween India and Pakistan that brought the region close to a nuclear crisis — it also recognises the limits of US influence.

President Trump has referred to Kashmir as a “thousand-year-old” conflict and has publicly offered to help resolve it on multiple occasions in recent weeks. India, however, maintains its long-standing position that Kashmir is a bilateral matter with no room for third-party involvement.

“I wouldn’t speak to the nature of another country’s decision-making. That’s up to them,” Ms Bruce added, suggesting a hands-off approach regarding India’s internal calculus.

“We live in a fascinating, exciting time where we got a man who can make the difference and he’s generous about making that difference. He could have chosen to have his term be about anything other than peace and making America great again, but he is stuck with that,” she said.

Ms Bruce’s comments confirm that the US views mediation as an available option — not a strategic imperative. Her enthusiastic endorsement of the president’s intentions suggests continued interest from the White House in remaining engaged with the issue.

“So, I wouldn’t speak to the nature of another country’s decision-making. That’s up to them, but, I think, all of us are grateful that we have a president who is willing to help, and wants to help,” Ms Bruce said.

The remarks fall short of putting pressure on either party, but they underscore a persistent US desire to help reduce tensions in the region — even if India remains unmoved by the US offer.

Published in Dawn, June 18th, 2025