During the inaugural session of the Board of Peace in Washington on February 19, 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump praised Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir, stating, "I like this man of Pakistan" and describing Munir as a "tough, good fighter." Trump highlighted his administration's role in stabilizing relations between Pakistan and India, particularly following a military confrontation that escalated in May 2025. He revised his earlier estimate of aerial losses during the conflict, stating that "11 very expensive" jets were shot down, and emphasized that U.S. intervention, including a warning of 200% tariffs on India, was crucial in averting a humanitarian disaster that could have endangered millions of lives. This conflict was triggered by a deadly attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, which led to a military standoff lasting 87 hours before a ceasefire was brokered by the U.S. on May 10, 2025.