Putin, Netanyahu, and Modi expose the American President’s empty bluster
In geopolitics, irrelevance is worse than defeat. And for U.S. President Donald Trump, that descent into diplomatic insignificance is no longer a matter of speculation—it is a hard, humiliating fact. Recent developments across global flashpoints make one thing abundantly clear: Trump has become a bystander, a loud but ignored spectator in a world where real leaders are calling the shots. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have made it clear they don’t need American tutelage, certainly not from a president who talks more than he acts and flips more than he stands firm. Putin continues his assault on Ukraine, undeterred by any Western mediation. Netanyahu has expanded his offensive against Hamas and even struck targets in Syria, eliminating hundreds. And what has Trump done? Issued pompous statements and taken credit for peace where none exists—except in his own fantasy. Trump once promised his voters he’d be a peacemaker. He boasted he would bring an end to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. But reality has caught up with the rhetoric. The world has moved on, and Trump’s so-called influence has been reduced to soundbites and self-congratulatory tweets. Nowhere is this irrelevance more visible than in the aftermath of the brutal terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 innocent tourists were massacred.
The Indian response, under the resolute leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was swift and devastating. In just three days, India launched Operation Sindoor, destroying terror launchpads, command centres, and nine Pakistani airbases—despite Pakistan’s deployment of Chinese and Turkish drones and even under the supposed protective umbrella the U.S. helped build around its so-called “nuclear assets.” One such U.S.-supported installation, the Noor Jahan airbase, was decimated. And yet, while India demonstrated unmatched military precision and strategic clarity, Trump stumbled. First, he falsely claimed credit for stopping the conflict. Then, within 24 hours, after being publicly contradicted by India’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) and the External Affairs Ministry, he backtracked. Modi, notably, refused to even acknowledge Trump’s comments, exposing just how little the Indian leadership now values the American President’s posturing. The reality is this: India paused its operations not because of Trump’s interference, but because Pakistan, humiliated and bleeding, begged for a reprieve. The Indian establishment made it clear that there is no ceasefire, and Indian forces have been given full freedom to retaliate to any further provocation.
“Goli ka Jawab goliyon se dena” — if a bullet is fired, it will be answered with a barrage. That thunderous message from Modi has eclipsed Trump’s diplomatic buffoonery. In truth, Trump’s desperate grasp at relevance in global crises is propped up not by real relationships, but by transactional interests. His so-called friendships are rooted in trade, arms deals, and optics. In contrast, leaders like Putin and Netanyahu share genuine strategic equations with Modi, forged not in Twitter threads but on the battlefield, in diplomacy, and in mutual respect. Trump’s recent gaffe-laden visit to Saudi Arabia, where he bizarrely described a former terrorist as a “nice man,” and his ambiguous flirtation with Iran, have further alienated key allies. His behaviour hasn’t just confused the global diplomatic community—it has angered it. Putin and Netanyahu have seen enough. They’ve made their choice: to ignore the self-styled saviour in Washington who brings nothing to the table but chaos and confusion. The United States may still be a superpower, but its President is not acting like one. Instead of commanding respect, Trump is being politely sidelined or, worse, openly mocked. His arrogance, ignorance, and addiction to self-glorification have made him a diplomatic liability. As for India, it has proved that it will act in its national interest, whether the U.S. approves or not. Modi’s India doesn’t need validation from the West, and certainly not from a president whose word carries little weight even in his administration. The time has come for Americans to ask a serious question: Do they want a leader who embarrasses the nation on the world stage? Trump’s clownish diplomacy has already cost the U.S. its credibility. If allowed to continue, it may cost far more.
