Love my legacy to be made as great peacemaker: Trump
Washington (PTI): US President Donald Trump has said he would love his legacy to be made as a great peacemaker as he stopped eight wars, including the one between India and Pakistan last year.
Addressing the Saudi-backed Future Investment Initiative (FII) Priority Summit in Miami, Trump also said reopening the Strait of Hormuz was a condition for any agreement with Iran and stressed that maritime access for oil shipments must be restored.
"We're negotiating now, and it would be great if we could do something, but they have to open it up," he said.
The US President reiterated his claim that he helped stop eight wars, including those between Armenia and Azerbaijan; the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda; Cambodia and Thailand; Egypt and Ethiopia; Serbia and Kosovo; Israel and Hamas.
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"I would love my legacy to be made as a great peacemaker because I really believe I am a peacemaker. It doesn't seem like it right now, but I think I am a peacemaker," Trump said.
"I even stopped India and Pakistan, and they were going at it for a week.. nine planes already shot down. They were in a war. I stopped them. How did I stop them? I said, if you keep fighting, I'm going to put a 250 per cent tariff on each one," the US President said.
"No, no, no, you cannot do that. I said, I'm doing it. All right, we won't fight anymore. That's how I stopped them." Trump said.
Trump jokingly referred to the Strait of Hormuz as the "Strait of Trump" during his remarks before correcting himself, later saying the comment was not accidental.
Trump described Iran as a longstanding force shaping instability in the Middle East but said its position had weakened under the US military operation Epic Fury.
"For 47 years, Iran has been known as the bully of the Middle East, but they are not the bully any longer. They're on the run," he said, adding that Iran's leadership, armed forces, and nuclear program had suffered damage during the operation.
Trump refused to refer to the attacks on Iran as "war" and chose to refer to it as a military operation.
The US president was harshly critical of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) for not "helping" him with the war with Iran.
"NATO is a paper tiger. And I always said we help NATO, but they never help us. And if the big one ever happened and I don't think it will, but if the big one ever happened, I guarantee you they wouldn't be there."
Trump reiterated that if the U.S. had not "knocked the hell" out of Iran, the country would have had a nuclear weapon "within two to four weeks" despite his insistence that the U.S. bombing of Iranian nuclear sites last year set its programs back years.
"They would have used it on you, and on Israel, and on everyone else," he said, addressing the Saudi attendees. The president also hinted at potential action against Cuba.
"And Cuba is next by the way, but pretend I didn't say that," he said. "Please, please, please, media, disregard that statement. Thank you very much. Cuba’s next," Trump said.
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Surjewala slams Pratap Simha’s ‘vile’ remarks on CM Siddaramaiah, demands apology from BJP
Bengaluru (PTI): Congress general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the BJP over alleged disparaging remarks made by former Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah during an assembly bypoll campaign in Bagalkote.
Simha made the remarks while campaigning for BJP candidate Veerabhadrayya Charantimath, triggering a political row ahead of the by-elections scheduled for April 9.
Congress has fielded Umesh Meti, son of former MLA late M Y Meti, whose death necessitated the bye-election.
"Pratap Simha's vile remarks about Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bagalkot have exposed the BJP's despicable politics once again," Surjewala said in a social media post.
Alleging a larger political design, he added, "It is increasingly evident that Pratap Simha’s outburst is driven by desperation," and accused the BJP of using such remarks to target backward classes, Scheduled Castes, and minorities.
The Rajya Sabha member further claimed that the incident reflects a pattern within the party. "This is not one man's madness—it is the BJP’s political culture," he said, adding that the remarks were aimed at "denigrating leaders from marginalised communities".
Referring to past incidents, Surjewala said, "CM Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar have received death threats in the past, including one from BJP leaders who warned that their bodies would be stuffed into a refrigerator."
The Congress leader also criticised the BJP’s bypoll campaign strategy, alleging "internal contradictions".
He pointed to the party’s use of expelled MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal in campaigning despite earlier disciplinary action against him, accusing the BJP of resorting to "abuses and indignities" against opposition leaders.
Surjewala demanded immediate action from the BJP leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP national president Nitin Nabin, state president B Y Vijayendra, and Leader of Opposition R Ashoka.
He said they must tender a public apology to Kannadigas, particularly to OBCs, SCs, and minorities, over the remarks, and urged the party to expel Simha if it does not repudiate his statements.
Surjewala also called for legal action, demanding that an FIR be registered against Simha and that strict measures be taken.
Warning of "political consequences", he said the electorate in the bypoll-bound constituencies would respond decisively if the BJP failed to apologise, asserting that voters would "teach the BJP a befitting lesson" in the elections.
There has been no immediate reaction from the saffron party yet.
