US President Donald Trump offered a mixed message on the intensifying Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict Thursday, saying hed step in to help resolve the crisis but holding back due to his strong rapport with Islamabads leadership. The remarks follow Pakistans bold declaration of open war after launching airstrikes deep into Taliban-controlled territory.

Pakistans military struck over 20 sites in Kabul, Kandahar, and eastern provinces, targeting alleged hideouts of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Officials claimed hundreds of militants killed, retaliating for deadly cross-border raids that cost 12 Pakistani soldiers their lives. Afghanistan countered with strikes on Pakistani outposts, reporting Taliban readiness for talks despite the heavy bombardment.

Trump, speaking to the press, laid out his position plainly: I would intervene. But I get along with Pakistan very, very well. They have a great Prime Minister, a great general... Pakistan is doing terrifically well. He specifically praised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief General Asim Munir, leaders he called two of the people that I really respect a lot.

The 2,600-km Durand Line border has long fueled friction, with mutual accusations of sheltering terrorists. This weeks exchanges mark a sharp escalation from 2025 skirmishes that killed civilians, including children, in Afghan villages. Casualties remain fluid—dozens confirmed dead on both sides, per initial reports—with fears of wider fallout.

Trumps pro-Pakistan nod could bolster Islamabads hand, pressuring the Taliban—whove expressed talk openness—to the table. Yet it risks drawing in powers like China, Pakistans close partner, or India, monitoring instability closely. Analysts see echoes of Trumps 2019 Afghan mediation push, but with a clearer tilt toward one side. As artillery echoes along the frontier, all eyes turn to the White House. Will Trumps words lead to shuttle diplomacy, or does his great relationship signal US restraint? The coming days will tell.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from The Times of India