Officials from the Trump administration revealed to CNN that the U.S. received alarming intelligence amid rising hostilities between India and Pakistan, prompting urgent high-level intervention. The situation had escalated to the brink of full-scale war between the two nuclear-armed nations before President Donald Trump announced a “full and immediate ceasefire.”
While the nature of the intelligence remains classified, CNN reported that a core group of senior U.S. officials—including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State and interim National Security Adviser Marco Rubio, and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles—had been closely monitoring developments. Early Friday, they received critical information that spurred deeper U.S. involvement.
Read more: Trump Announces ‘Full and Immediate’ Ceasefire Between India and Pakistan
Vice President Vance subsequently briefed President Trump and spoke with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, warning of a high risk of rapid escalation. He urged Modi to open direct communication with Pakistan and consider steps toward de-escalation. This behind-the-scenes diplomacy had not been publicly disclosed before the ceasefire announcement.
U.S. officials believed that India and Pakistan were not in direct contact and that American mediation was essential to bridge the communication gap. Vance reportedly presented Modi with an off-ramp that the U.S. believed Pakistan would be receptive to—though the specific terms remain undisclosed.
Following Vance’s outreach, Secretary Rubio and other State Department officials worked overnight, maintaining continuous contact with both Indian and Pakistani counterparts. Sources said it became evident by midweek that the two sides were not communicating, prompting U.S. efforts to identify mutually acceptable pathways to peace.
Read more: Outside mediation now crucial for Pakistan and India
Although the U.S. did not help draft the ceasefire terms, officials emphasized that their role was pivotal in facilitating dialogue between the two rivals. They noted that Vance’s personal rapport with Modi—reinforced during a recent visit to India—played a key role in securing cooperation.
Interestingly, Vance’s intervention came just one day after he publicly downplayed America’s role, telling Fox News that the conflict was “none of our business” and that the U.S. could only encourage de-escalation through diplomacy.
The ceasefire was reached after a day of intense fighting on Saturday. While President Trump and Pakistani officials credited U.S. mediation, India maintained that the agreement was a direct, bilateral decision.
Announcing the truce on Truth Social, President Trump praised both nations for “choosing diplomacy over conflict” and showing “common sense and great intelligence” in de-escalating tensions. Final details on how the ceasefire will be monitored are still being worked out.