In a characteristic show of boldness and unconventional diplomacy, US President Donald Trump turned a high-level meeting into a “stand-up” moment on Thursday, Feb 19, 2026. During the first gathering of the Board of Peace (BOP), Trump told Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to stand before the audience as Trump bragged about his role in preventing a nuclear war between India and Pakistan.
The event took place at the US Institute of Peace. Trump, surrounded by leaders from countries such as Indonesia, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan, repeated his claim that he single-handedly brokered the May 2025 ceasefire after India’s Operation Sindoor.
Stand for a second’: The viral moment
The room fell silent as President Trump paused his speech to address the Pakistani leader.
“I think you (Shehbaz Sharif) should actually stand. Come, please, stand for a second,” Trump said.
As a visibly uncomfortable Sharif rose to his feet, Trump used the moment to emphasise his influence over New Delhi, adding, “I spoke to PM Modi; he said he is watching us right now.”
Trump to Pak PM- Stand up
Shahbaz Sharif immediately stands up pic.twitter.com/YwMljX6gsF— Frontalforce (@FrontalForce) February 20, 2026
The ‘200% tariff’ threat: Trump’s de-escalation strategy
Trump used the summit to explain the pressure he claims to have applied during the 2025 conflict, which started with the Pahalgam terror attack and the subsequent Indian airstrikes.
The ultimatum: Trump stated he warned both nations about a total trade freeze. “I said, if you fight, I’m going to put 200 percent tariffs on each of your countries,” Trump told the delegates.
The “money” logic: Rejecting traditional diplomacy, Trump noted, “They both wanted to fight. But when it came to money, there’s nothing like money. When it came to losing a lot of money, they said, I guess we don’t want to fight.”
Escalating aircraft claims: Trump also raised his estimate of military losses during the 2025 standoff, claiming that 11 “very expensive” jets were shot down, a number that has increased from his original claim of five.
Praise for ‘field marshal’ Asim Munir
Trump didn’t stop with the Prime Minister. He also expressed “admiration” for Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, calling him Field Marshal Asim Munir. Trump shared a conversation where Munir supposedly told U.S. Chief of Staff Susie Wiles that Trump “saved 25 million lives” by stopping the war.
India maintains ‘observer’ silence
Despite Trump’s insistence that PM Modi was “excited” and “watching,” New Delhi stayed low-key at the summit. India was only represented by Namgya Khampa, Charge d’Affaires at the Indian Embassy, in an observer role.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has consistently denied Trump’s version, asserting that the 2025 ceasefire was reached through direct communication between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan, without any third-party mediation.
