US President Donald Trump said that he feels Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave the message on terrorism to Pakistan "loud and clear" through the 'Howdy, Modi!' event. Trump said he expected Modi to “take care” of the terrorism problem in the region and the Kashmir issue, effectively endorsing of New Delhi’s position that bilateral matters with Pakistan brook no third party mediation.
“I know that your prime minister will take care of it… you have a great prime minister and he will solve the problem, I have no doubt about it,” Trump said in brief remarks before a bilateral meeting with PM Modi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Trump, in fact, suggested that Modi be known as the “father of India” because of his success in uniting the nation. He also said the US and India were close to signing a trade agreement that would set the stage for a more comprehensive deal down the road.
To a question if he had broached the issue of terror with Imran Khan, Trump hedged and said that he "thinks that it will happen". "I believe these two great gentlemen will sit down and work it out. I believe in Modi and Khan, and that if they get along, and will get along, great things will happen," Trump said.
The US president once again referred to the Houston rally in glowing terms, comparing the response Modi got to an Elvis Presley concert and saying it was “as if Elvis had come back. The US President was referring to what he earlier described as Modi’s “very aggressive” statement on Kashmir that he said was very well received by 59,000-strong crowd at the NRG stadium in Houston. “They love this gentleman… they went crazy.” Trump said.
Trump’s remarks were a devastating blow to Pakistan, which only hours before had exulted over the US president’s remarks offering mediation, although he qualified it by saying that would happen only if India consented. Still, he urged India and Pakistan to get together and talk, saying if these two gentlemen (Modi and Imran Khan) got together and got to know each other, they could “do something.”
