US offers help to de-escalate crisis; Trump urges restraint, but Washington divided on intervention
In a bid to defuse mounting tensions between India and Pakistan, US Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio has reached out to Pakistan’s Army Chief General Asim Munir — widely seen as the most powerful figure in the country. The move follows Washington’s failed efforts to cool tempers through diplomatic channels with the civilian government in Islamabad.
Confirming the development, US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said, “Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir earlier today.” The call comes amid a dangerous escalation in hostilities between the nuclear-armed neighbours, with military confrontations spreading beyond Kashmir and deeper into each other’s territories.
Rubio’s call to Munir came after previous appeals to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar urging de-escalation. The US, Bruce said, is offering its assistance to initiate “constructive talks to avoid future conflicts.”
India had earlier launched Operation Sindoor in response to a terror attack in Pahalgam last month, which killed 26 civilians. The attack was attributed to a Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba front. Following the launch of the operation, India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval was the first foreign official to reach out to Rubio, underscoring the severity of the situation.
Bruce reiterated the Biden administration’s — now led by Donald Trump — key priorities: “no escalation, and renewed dialogue between the two countries.” She added that Washington had been in close contact with leaders in both capitals over the last two days.
However, Washington’s response remains mixed. While Rubio is actively mediating, US Vice President JD Vance took a non-interventionist stance. In a Fox News interview, Vance stated, “The conflict between the neighbours is fundamentally none of our business.” He added that while the US could encourage de-escalation, it was not going to be drawn into a war “that has nothing to do with America’s ability to control it.”
Former President Trump, who returned to office this year, initially maintained a hands-off approach, saying, “I am sure they’ll figure it out one way or the other.” However, in recent days, he has called for calm and urged both countries to avoid further provocation. Trump is currently focused on the Middle East, where a US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has collapsed. He is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE next week, where the Gaza war is expected to dominate the agenda.
As India and Pakistan face their most serious military stand-off in years, Washington is attempting to walk a tightrope — balancing calls for restraint with an aversion to deeper entanglement. Rubio’s direct contact with General Munir signals a shift in tactics, recognising where real power lies in Pakistan and where de-escalation efforts might gain traction.
