How many wars has President Trump really ended?

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As President Donald Trump tries to broker an end to the Russia-Ukraine war, he has been highlighting his track record in peace negotiations since starting his second term in office. Speaking at the White House on 18 August, where he was pressed by European leaders to push for a ceasefire, he claimed: “I’ve ended six wars… all of these deals I made without even the mention of the word ‘ceasefire’.” The following day the number he cited had risen to “seven wars”. The Trump administration says a Nobel Peace Prize is “well past time” for the “peacemaker-in-chief”, and has listed the “wars” he has supposedly ended. Some lasted just days – although they were the result of long-standing tensions – and it is unclear whether some of the peace deals will last. Trump also used the word “ceasefire” a number of times when talking about them on his Truth Social platform. BBC Verify has taken a closer look at these conflicts and how much credit the president can take for ending them.

Israel and Iran

The 12-day conflict began when Israel hit targets in Iran on 13 June. Trump confirmed that he had been informed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of the strikes. The US carried out strikes on Iranian nuclear sites – a move widely seen as bringing the conflict towards a swift close. On 23 June, Trump posted: “Officially, Iran will start the CEASEFIRE and, upon the 12th Hour, Israel will start the CEASEFIRE and, upon the 24th Hour, an Official END to THE 12 DAY WAR will be saluted by the World.” After the hostilities ended, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei insisted his country had secured a “decisive victory” and did not mention a ceasefire. Israel has since suggested it could strike Iran again to counter new threats. “There is no agreement on a permanent peace or on how to monitor Iran’s nuclear programme going forward,” argues Michael O’Hanlon, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution think tank. “So what we have is more of a de facto ceasefire than an end to war, but I’d give him some credit, as the weakening of Iran by Israel – with US help – has been strategically significant.”

AFP via Getty Images Targets in Iran and Israel were hit during 12 days of conflict

Pakistan and India

Tensions between these two nuclear-armed countries have existed for years, but in May hostilities broke out following an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir. After four days of strikes, Trump posted that India and Pakistan had agreed to a “FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE”. He said this was the result of “a long night of talks mediated by the United States”. Kashmir: Why India and Pakistan fight over it Pakistan thanked Trump and later recommended him for the Nobel Peace Prize, citing his “decisive diplomatic intervention”. India, however, played down talk of US involvement: “The talks regarding cessation of military action were held directly between India and Pakistan under the existing channels established between both militaries,” Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said.

Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo

Long-standing hostilities between these two countries flared up after the M23 rebel group seized mineral-rich territory in eastern DR Congo earlier in the year. In June, the two countries signed a peace agreement in Washington aimed at ending decades of conflict. Trump said it would help increase trade between them and the US. The text called for “respect for the ceasefire” agreed between Rwanda and DRC in August 2024.

Getty M23 rebels have been linked to Rwanda

Since the latest deal, both sides have accused each other of violating the ceasefire and the M23 rebels – which the UK and US have linked to Rwanda – have threatened to walk away from peace talks. In July, the rebel group killed at least 140 people, including women and children, in eastern DR Congo, according to Human Rights Watch. What’s the fighting in DR Congo all about?

DR Congo rebels killed 140 civilians despite peace process, rights group says “There’s still fighting between Congo and Rwanda – so that ceasefire has never really held,” says Margaret MacMillan, a professor of history who taught at the University of Oxford.

Thailand and Cambodia

On 26 July, Trump posted on Truth Social saying: “I am calling the Acting Prime Minister of Thailand, right now, to likewise request a Ceasefire, and END to the War, which is currently raging.” A couple of days later, the two countries agreed to an “immediate and unconditional ceasefire” after less than a week of fighting at the border. Malaysia held the peace talks, but President Trump threatened to stop separate negotiations on reducing US tariffs (taxes on imports) unless Thailand and Cambodia stopped fighting. Both are heavily dependent on exports to the US. On 7 August, Thailand and Cambodia reached an agreement aimed at reducing tensions along their shared border.

Armenia and Azerbaijan

The leaders of both countries said Trump should receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in securing a peace deal, which was announced at the White House on 8 August. “I think he gets good credit here – the Oval Office signing ceremony may have pushed the parties to peace,” says Mr O’Hanlon. In March, the two governments had said they were ready to end their nearly 40-year conflict centred on the status of Nagorno-Karabakh. Nagorno-Karabakh: Conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenians explained The most recent, serious outbreak of fighting was in September 2023 when Azerbaijan seized the enclave (where many ethnic Armenians lived).

Getty In August Trump hosted the Azerbaijani president and Armenian prime minister at the White House

Egypt and Ethiopia

There was no “war” here for the president to end, but there have long been tensions over a dam on the River Nile. Ethiopia’s Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam was completed this summer with Egypt arguing that the water it gets from the Nile could be affected. After 12 years of disagreement, Egypt’s foreign minister said on 29 June that talks with Ethiopia had ground to a halt. Trump said: “If I were Egypt, I’d want the water in the Nile.” He promised that the US was going to resolve the issue very quickly. Egypt welcomed Trump’s words, but Ethiopian officials said they risked inflaming tensions. No formal deal has been reached between Egypt and Ethiopia to resolve their differences.

Serbia and Kosovo

On 27 June, Trump claimed to have prevented an outbreak of hostilities between them, saying: “Serbia, Kosovo was going to go at it, going to be a big war. I said you go at it, there’s no trade with the United States. They said, well, maybe we won’t go at it.” The two countries have long been in dispute – a legacy of the Balkan wars of the 1990s – with tensions rising in recent years. “Serbia and Kosovo haven’t been fighting or firing at each other, so it’s not a war to end,” Prof MacMillan told us. The White House pointed us towards Trump’s diplomatic efforts in his first term. The two countries signed economic normalisation agreements in the Oval Office with the president in 2020, but they were not at war at the time.

How many wars President Trump don really end?

Author, Jake Horton & Nick Beake Role, BBC Verify

4 hours wey don pass

As President Donald Trump dey try negotiate to end di Russia-Ukraine war, im bin dey tok about im track record for peace negotiations since im start im second term for office.

Im bin tok for White House on 18 August, wen European leader put pressure on am to push for ceasefire, im claim say: “I don end six wars… all of dis deals I make am without even mentioning di word ‘ceasefire’.”

Di following day di number im tok rise to “seven wars”.

Di Trump administration say a Nobel Peace Prize na “something wey suppose don happun ” for di “peacemaker-in-chief”, and dem list di “wars” im claim to end.

Some last just days – although na di result of long-standing tensions – and e no dey clear whether some of di peace deals go last.

Trump also use di word “ceasefire” plenty times wen im tok about dem for im Truth Social platform.

BBC Verify dey torchlight dis conflicts and how much credit di president go take for ending dem.

Israel and Iran

Di 12-day conflict begin wen Israel hit targets for Iran on 13 June.

Trump confam say Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu inform am ahead of di strikes.

Di US bin carry out strikes on Iranian nuclear sites – a move wey many feel say sharpely end di conflict.

On 23 June, Trump post say: “Officially, Iran go start di CEASEFIRE and, on di 12th Hour, Israel go start di CEASEFIRE and, on di 24th Hour, di world go salute Officially di END to DI 12 DAY WAR.”

Afta di war end, Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei insist say im kontri don secure a “decisive victory” and im no mention a ceasefire.

Israel dey suggest say dem fit strike Iran again to counter new threats.

“No agreement on permanent peace or on how to monitor Iran nuclear programme going forward,” Michael O’Hanlon argue, im be a senior fellow for di Brookings Institution think tank.

“So wetin we get hia na more of a de facto ceasefire dan an end to war, but I go give am some credit, as di weakening of Iran by Israel – wit US help – dey strategically significant.”

Wia dis foto come from, AFP via Getty Images Wetin we call dis foto, Di 12 day conflicts hit targets for Iran and Israel

Pakistan and India

Tensions between dis two nuclear-armed kontris don dey for many years, but for May kasala break out sake of di attack for Indian-administered Kashmir.

Afta four days of strikes, Trump post say India and Pakistan don agree to a “FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE”.

Im say dis na di result of “a long night of talks wey United States”.

Pakistan thank Trump and later recommend am for di Nobel Peace Prize, im torchlight Trump “decisive diplomatic intervention”.

India, however, play down tok of US involvement: “Di tok regarding cessation of military action happun directly between India and Pakistan under di existing channels wey dey established between both militaries,” Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri tok.

Rwanda and di Democratic Republic of Congo

Di long-standing wahala between dis two kontri enta anoda afta di M23 rebel group seize di mineral-rich territory for eastern DR Congo earlier in di year.

For June, di two kontris sign a peace agreement for Washington wit di aim to end decades of conflict. Trump say e gohelp increase trade between dem and US.

Di text call for “respect for di ceasefire” agreement between Rwanda and DRC for August 2024.

Wia dis foto come from, Getty Wetin we call dis foto, M23 rebels dey linked to Rwanda

Since di latest deal, both sides dey accuse each oda of violating di ceasefire and di M23 rebels – wey di UK and US say get links to Rwanda – don threatened to walk away from di peace toks.

“Fight-fight still dey between Congo and Rwanda – so dat ceasefire never really hold water,” na so Margaret MacMillan, one professor of history wey bin teach for di University of Oxford.

Thailand and Cambodia

On 26 July, Trump post for im Truth Social say: “I dey call di Acting Prime Minister of Thailand, right now, to request a Ceasefire, and END to di War, wey currently dey happun.”

A couple of days later, di two kontris agree to an “immediate and unconditional ceasefire” after less dan a week of fighting for di border.

Malaysia bin hold di peace toks, but President Trump bin threaten to stop separate negotiations on reducing US tariffs (dat na taxes on imports) unless Thailand and Cambodia stop dia fight- fight.

Both of dem dey heavily depend on exports to US.

On 7 August, Thailand and Cambodia reach agreement wit di aim to reducing tensions along dia shared border.

Armenia and Azerbaijan

Di leaders of both kontris say Trump suppose receive di Nobel Peace Prize for im efforts to secure a peace deal, wey White House announce on 8 August.

“I think im go get good credit hia – di Oval Office signing ceremony fit don push di parties to peace,” na so Oga O’Hanlon tok.

For March, di two goment bin tok say dem ready to end dia nearly 40-year conflict wey dey centred on di status of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Di most recent, serious outbreak of fight-fight na for September 2023 wen Azerbaijan bin seize di enclave (wia many ethnic Armenians dey live).

Wia dis foto come from, Getty Wetin we call dis foto, Dis photo na August, Trump bin host di Azerbaijani president and Armenian prime minister for White House

Egypt and Ethiopia

No “war” hia for di president to end, but tension don dey for long between dis two kontris sake of one dam on for River Nile.

Ethiopia Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam dem complete am dis summer, Egypt argue say di water e dey get from di Nile fit dey affected.

Afta 12 years of disagreement, Egypt’s foreign minister tok on 29 June say tok-tok with Ethiopia don stop completly.

Trump say: “If I be Egypt, I’go want get water for di Nile.” Im promise say US go resolve di issue sharp-sharp

Egypt welcome Trump words, but Ethiopian officials no too happy wit di tok.

No official deal dey ground between Egypt and Ethiopia to resolve dia differences.

Serbia and Kosovo

On 27 June, Trump claim say im prevent outbreak of war between dem, e say: “Serbia, Kosovo bin ready fight each oda, e for be big war. I tell dem if un try am, na im be say una no go do trade wit United States. Dem say, well, maybe we no go fight again.”

E don tey wey dis two kontris get issue wit each oda – na legacy of di Balkan wars wey happun for 1990s – di tensions begin rise again in recent years.

“Serbia and Kosovo no dey fight or fire each oda, so dis no be war to end,” Prof MacMillan tell us.

Di White House point us towards Trump diplomatic efforts for im first term.

Wia di two kontris sign economic normalisation agreements for Oval Office wit di president for 2020, but war no dey dat time.

Which countries are in Nato and what is Article 5?

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte and other leading European figures have held talks with US President Donald Trump in the White House about ending the war in Ukraine. Trump highlighted the importance of security guarantees designed to protect Ukraine from future Russian aggression which could be met by European nations in “co-ordination” with the US. At the Nato Summit in June, the alliance’s 32 members restated their “ironclad commitment to collective defence”, known as Article 5, and agreed to boost defence spending after months of pressure from Trump.

What are Nato and Article 5?

Nato – the North Atlantic Treaty Organization – was formed in Washington DC in 1949 by 12 countries. The founding members were Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the UK and the US.

Getty Images Nato was founded in Washington DC in 1949

Nato’s primary purpose was to block expansion in Europe by the Soviet Union – a group of communist republics dominated by Russia which was dissolved in 1991. Article 5 is one of Nato’s core principles. It says that an armed attack against one or more members will be considered an attack against all. In response, each other member would take “such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area”. The guarantee does not cover bases in foreign countries or territories outside the alliance area – which is why it did not apply during the Vietnam War or the Falkland Islands conflict. Trump has previously questioned the mutual guarantee, but speaking after the June summit said: “I stand with [Article Five], that’s why I’m here.” The alliance does not have its own army, but member states can take collective military action in response to international crises. For instance, Nato supported the UN by intervening in the war in the former Yugoslavia between 1992 and 2004. It also co-ordinates military plans and carries out joint military exercises.

Which countries are Nato members?

Nato has 32 members across Europe and North America – the original 12 founders plus 20 countries which have joined since 1949. After the Soviet Union’s collapse, many Eastern European countries became members, including Albania, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.

Finland – which has a 1,340km (832-mile) land border with Russia – joined in April 2023. Sweden became a member in March 2024. Having been neutral for decades, both applied to Nato in May 2022, shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine. Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Georgia have also asked to join.

How much do Nato members spend on defence?

Getty Images

Nato members are currently expected to spend 2% of their national income – or GDP – on defence although this is not a legally binding commitment. The US and countries which are close to Russia – such as Poland and the Baltic states – have traditionally spent the most. In 2024, the US spent $935bn (£686bn), which was 3.2% of its GDP and nearly double the defence expenditure of the rest of Nato put together. The latest estimates show nine members failed to meet the 2% target in 2024, with Spain spending the least – just 1.24% of GDP.

The 5% target agreed in June commits 3.5% of each member state’s GDP for core defence expenditure by 2035, plus up to 1.5% on wider security infrastructure. Spain had objected to the increased target before the summit. The Belgian and Slovakian governments also expressed concerns but ultimately accepted the increase. Ahead of the meeting in June, the UK government said it would spend 2.6% on core defence and 1.5% on wider security measures by 2027. Core defence spending is not expected to hit 3.5% until the 2035 deadline. It has not confirmed how it will fund the additional spending.

Why is Ukraine not a member of Nato?

Russia has consistently opposed the idea of Ukraine becoming a member, fearing it would bring Nato forces too close to its borders. However, in 2008, the alliance said that Ukraine could eventually join. After Russia’s invasion, Zelensky asked for this process to be fast-tracked. The Nato chief at the time, Jens Stoltenberg, said Ukraine could join “in the long term” but not until after the war had ended.

AI-assisted summary President Donald Trump claims to have settled six wars in six months.

The US has been involved in five ceasefires or peace agreements since Trump returned to office.

One of the claimed “settled wars” is between Ethiopia and Egypt, but their dispute has neither been a war or resulted in a peace agreement.

As President Donald Trump continues to work toward peace between Russia and Ukraine, he is touting a record of settling six wars.

“I’ve settled 6 Wars in 6 months, one of them a possible Nuclear disaster,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Aug. 18, before the meeting with European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House where he made a similar claim.

“I know exactly what I’m doing, and I don’t need the advice of people who have been working on all of these conflicts for years, and were never able to do a thing to stop them,” the social meda comment continued.

But did Trump really end six wars in six months? Here is what we know:

Has Trump ended six wars?

Since Trump took office, the United States has been involved in five ceasefires or peace agreements, though not all parties involved credit the U.S. for the agreements. Those include:

Armenia and Azerbaijan – The two former Soviet republics and Trump signed a peace agreement at the White House on Aug. 8, ending a decades-long war. The leaders of the countries gave Trump ample praise for his efforts at the ceremony.

Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda – Trump announced a treaty between the African nations in a June 20 social media post, crediting Secretary of State Marco Rubio for helping to bring them together.

Iran and Israel – Trump announced on June 23 a ceasefire between the two countries after the U.S. joined Israel in bombing Iranian nuclear sites.

India and Pakistan – Trump announced the neighboring countries, both armed with nuclear weapons, had reached a ceasefire in May with U.S.-led talks after an intensifying military confrontation. However, India did not credit the U.S. with brokering the halt in fighting.

Cambodia and Thailand – Leaders of the two countries agreed to a ceasefire on July 28 after five deadly days of fighting, Reuters reported. Trump urged them to negotiate a ceasefire or else trade deals with the governments would stall.

When asked about the sixth war Trump was referring to, the White House also cited Ethiopia and Egypt. However, there has neither been a war or a peace agreement between the countries, according to Axios. Trump dealt with a dispute between the two countries in his first term as they were feuding over a huge hydropowerdam, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. Egypt and Sudan have expressed concern that water flow to their part of the Nile River would be impacted, USA TODAY previously reported.

Trump mentioned the countries in a July meeting with the NATO Secretary General where he rattled off other examples of settling wars.

“We worked on Egypt with a next-door neighbor who is a good neighbor,” he said. “They’re friends of mine, but they happened to build a dam, which closed up water going into a thing called the Nile. I think if I’m Egypt, I want to have water in the Nile and we’re working on that.”

The White House did not answer follow-up questions on how this constitutes a “settled war.”

What happened at the meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump?

Zelenskyy’s August trip to the White House had far fewer fireworks than the February visit, when he was berated by Trump and Vice President JD Vance.

In addition to Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also attended the summit on Aug. 18.

Zelenskyy, wearing a black suit instead of the military garb that drew comments in February, met with Trump in the Oval Office ahead of the wider group of foreign leaders. He also thanked Trump, something Vance had criticized Zelenskyy of not doing during the previous Oval Office spat.

Trump then met with the European leaders in the White House East Room, saying they would know “in a week or two weeks” if a deal to stop the fighting is possible.

After the day of meetings with the European leaders, Trump called Putin to urge him to meet with Zelenskyy. Trump deemed it a step in the right direction.

“Everyone is very happy about the possibility of PEACE for Russia/Ukraine. At the conclusion of the meetings, I called President Putin, and began the arrangements for a meeting, at a location to be determined, between President Putin and President Zelenskyy,” he wrote on Truth Social. “After that meeting takes place, we will have a Trilat, which would be the two Presidents, plus myself. Again, this was a very good, early step for a War that has been going on for almost four years.”

Although the meeting showed strong European unity, it was unclear whether major progress toward peace was made. Trump said the United States would help guarantee Ukraine’s security in a deal, but did not clarify the extent of the commitment. He also appeared to dismiss the need for a ceasefire ahead of peace negotiations.

Contributing: Joey Garrison, Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, Bart Jansen, Zac Anderson, Francesca Chambers, Josh Meyer, Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY

Kinsey Crowley is the Trump Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at kcrowley@gannett.com. Follow her on X and TikTok @kinseycrowley or Bluesky at @kinseycrowley.bsky.social.

US-Mexico border wall to be painted black to stop climbers

About $46m was allocated for new border wall construction in Trump’s landmark spending bill.

The number of border crossings has plummeted in recent months, and the Trump administration says sweeping arrests and detentions are acting as a deterrent to illegal migration.

About a half mile (0.8km) of wall is going up each day along the nearly 2,000 mile (3,218km) border, according to Noem.

While domestic detentions and deportations have been the primary focus of the current immigration crackdown, Trump’s policy bill passed earlier this summer also allocated $46m (£34m) for additional wall construction.

The entire US-Mexico border wall will be painted black to make it hotter and harder to climb, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has said, crediting the idea to Donald Trump.

Speaking to reporters along a section of the border in New Mexico, Noem said on Tuesday that the black paint was “specifically at the request of the president”.

“[He] understands that in the hot temperatures down here, when something is painted black it gets even warmer and it will make it even harder for people to climb,” she added.

Border Patrol officials also say that black paint will help prevent the wall from rusting.

Additionally, Noem said the administration is planning to install more “waterborne infrastructure” along the Rio Grande, which makes up more than half of the border between the two countries.

While Noem did not provide any more details on those projects, Texas authorities have previously installed floating barriers – large orange buoys – and fortified riverbank fencing guarded by state troopers, local police officers and the Texas National Guard along parts of the river.

Crossings and detentions of undocumented immigrants have plummeted since Trump returned to the office, with record lows of approximately 4,600 in July and 6,000 in June – a 92% year-on-year reduction.

During the Biden administration, detentions sometimes spiked to averages of 6,000 per day.

Earlier in August, Noem said that a total of 1.6m undocumented immigrants have left the US during the first 200 days of the Trump administration, although she did not specify how many have been deported and how many left on their own.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said earlier in August that a total of 300,000 undocumented immigrants had been detained in the interior of the US since January.

While the administration continues to say it is prioritising those with criminal histories, immigration advocates have warned that many with no criminal charges or only minor infractions have been caught up in the sweeps.

White House officials also contend that increased border security and mass deportations have been deterrents, saying they are the primary reason for plummeting figures at the US-Mexico border.