Analysis: Why Trump Is Not Intervening in the India-Pakistan Crisis – ‘Doesn’t Want to Be World Policeman’

The passive stance of the U.S. — at least so far — toward the new conflict in Kashmir is the focus of an extensive CNN article analyzing why Donald Trump has not intervened decisively, as some might expect, amid rising casualties following India’s ‘Operation Sindoor’ against Pakistan. “It’s a shame. I just hope it ends soon,” Trump said briefly on Tuesday (05/06/2025), responding to India’s initial strikes in retaliation for the April 22 terrorist attack on Indian tourists. The next day, he made another gesture of goodwill without showing significant eagerness to get involved. “I get along well with both,” Trump stated. “They’ve acted retaliatory. Hopefully, they can stop now. If I can do something to help, I’ll be there,” he added. According to CNN, this violent crisis between India and Pakistan is precisely the type of international emergency that would once have triggered a full diplomatic effort by the U.S. to de-escalate tensions. However, this latest conflict may test Trump’s administration’s intentions or even capabilities for global mediation and the international community’s ability to respond without U.S. involvement. While Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has been in contact with top officials from both countries in recent weeks, especially after India’s missile strikes on Pakistani soil, there are no signs yet of an expanded U.S. effort to coordinate international mediation or manage the crisis. This reluctance may partly stem from the fact that the timing isn’t ripe for diplomacy, as all parties await further escalations. Analysts note that America’s response will be closely watched in the coming days, as Trump’s second term has discarded the playbook of traditional American foreign policy, creating a void where multinational leadership once thrived under the U.S. Trump shows limited interest in building international coalitions or activating American alliances for common goals, preferring instead to flex U.S. economic and military power to coerce smaller nations for America’s benefit, seeing little distinction between allies and adversaries. Additionally, with expansive plans for Greenland, Canada, and Panama, it seems unlikely Trump would mediate one of the world’s most contentious territorial disputes. Trump’s new doctrine of foreign policy emphasizes peace but has shown minimal progress amid ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. His diplomatic pressures come with trade-offs, such as pressuring Ukraine for resource exploitation deals and envisioning the expulsion of Palestinians to build ‘Middle East Riviera,’ actions critics liken to neo-colonial ethnic cleansing. Unlike past administrations that invested years in trust-building and lower-level diplomacy, Trump appears uninterested in long-term strategies for existing conflicts, let alone new ones in South Asia. Observers note that Trump does not wish to be the world policeman and may favor Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over Pakistan.