Topline
President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed to have solved multiple wars, with his count growing even higher, to nine, amid the U.S.-Israel war in Iran, without explaining the ninth conflict he’s referred to.
Key Facts
Trump most recently referenced the nine wars in a Truth Social post announcing a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon on Thursday, which he said will be his 10th war that he’s solved.
Trump previously made references to eight wars he said he’s solved: between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, Israel and Iran, India and Pakistan, Cambodia and Thailand, Egypt and Ethiopia, Serbia and Kosovo, and Israel and Hamas, according to the State Department.
Trump has argued he should receive the Nobel Peace Prize for solving those conflicts, though official agreements have yet to be reached in some of them and fighting persists in others, while in several cases, there were no wars to end.
Fighting continues between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda-backed AFC/M23 rebels, despite a U.S.-brokered peace agreement signed in December.
The dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and how it might impact Egypt’s water supply has not involved military force and it’s unclear why Trump claims to have resolved it—he tried and failed to settle the disagreement during his first term and he told Egypt in January he was ready to restart negotiations.
Similarly, a dispute between Serbia and Kosovo over Kosovo’s sovereignty hasn’t escalated to a military conflict since Kosovo declared independence in 2008, and while Trump helped strengthen economic ties between the two during his first term, the territorial dispute is still ongoing.
What We Don’t Know
Trump hasn’t said what the ninth war he’s solved is, but it’s possible he could be referring to the two-week ceasefire agreement in the Iran war reached earlier this month. He said the ceasefire in Lebanon is the 10th war.
Crucial Quote
“I read the Fake News saying that I am under ‘pressure’ to make a Deal. THIS IS NOT TRUE! I am under no pressure whatsoever, although, it will happen, relatively quickly!” Trump wrote on Truth Social Monday about the Israel-Iran war, noting the length of other U.S. wars that have gone on for years. Trump acknowledged he “promised 6 weeks to defeat Iran, and actually, from the Military standpoint, it was far faster than that.”
Tangent
The U.S. State Department, calling Trump “The President of Peace” lauded him for ending “eight wars in just eight months” in October, after a peace agreement was reached in the Israel-Hamas war. The deal was widely considered to be a major foreign policy achievement for Trump. The agreement remains fragile, however, as the details of a long-term solution are still being ironed out and will take years to execute. Hamas, for example, has resisted giving up its weapons, prompting Israel to threaten to disarm Hamas by force.
What Conflicts Has Trump Been Unable To Resolve?
Trump said repeatedly during his 2024 presidential campaign he could solve the war in Ukraine in one day, and he’s since acknowledged the feat is harder than he thought. More Ukrainians were killed in the war in 2025 than in the previous year, and talks between the two sides are essentially stalled. Trump has also expressed a desire to meet with North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un and de-escalate tensions between North and South Korea, but North Korea has rejected Trump’s demands to give up its nuclear weapons.
Key Background
The deal between Israel and Lebanon remains fragile as Israel continues to occupy southern Lebanon along its border with Israel to create a buffer zone between Hezbollah-occupied territory and Israel. While the fighting stems from a long-simmering feud, it escalated earlier this year as a result of the U.S.-Israel strikes against Iran when Hezbollah retaliated against the attacks. Israel and the U.S. agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran earlier this month, but Israel and the U.S. said Lebanon was not included in the deal—a claim Iran rejected—and Israel continued its attacks there, threatening the peace agreement between the U.S. and Israel and Iran.
Trump Approval Rating Hits New Low: Most Adults Disapprove Of Iran War, Poll Finds (Forbes)
Trump Boasts Iran ‘Agreed To Everything’ — Iran Quickly Says It Won’t Give Up Uranium (Forbes)
Trump Announces Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire—But Netanyahu Says Troops Won’t Leave (Forbes)
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