Trump’s remarks, made at a private dinner with Republican lawmakers at the White House, did not specify which country’s aircraft were downed.
“5 Jets Were Shot Down”: Trump Makes Operation Sindoor Claim
US President Donald Trump claimed that “five jets were shot down” during the May 2025 India-Pakistan hostilities, specifically referring to the period of Operation Sindoor that India launched after the Pahalgam terror attack. Trump made this assertion at a dinner with Republican lawmakers at the White House and credited his administration with mediating a ceasefire, claiming the conflict was halted through the leverage of trade negotiations.
Key details from Trump’s statements:
- He did not specify whether the downed jets belonged to India or Pakistan, or if the number referred to the combined losses on both sides.
- Trump reiterated his narrative that US mediation—mainly via the threat of withholding trade deals—influenced both countries to halt hostilities.
Official responses and available evidence:
- There is no official confirmation or independent evidence supporting Trump’s specific claim of “five jets” downed.
- India has not publicly disclosed the exact number of its own or Pakistan’s aircraft losses, maintaining silence or only indicating that some jets were lost in the initial phase of conflict.
- Pakistan has separately claimed it downed up to six Indian jets, including Rafales, but these claims have been consistently rejected by Indian officials.
- India’s Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan acknowledged that “an unspecified number” of jets were downed but emphasized that the causes and operational lessons were more significant than the exact numbers.
- New Delhi refutes both Pakistan’s and the US claims regarding mediation, stating the conflict was ended by direct military-to-military talks without outside intervention.
In summary, Trump’s claim about five jets being shot down is unverified and not corroborated by Indian or independent sources, while both India and Pakistan have made competing, largely unsubstantiated claims regarding aircraft losses during Operation Sindoor.
