US President Donald Trump said he would love for his legacy to be remembered as that of a great peacemaker, citing his role in stopping eight wars, including the conflict between India and Pakistan last year.
Speaking at the Saudi-backed Future Investment Initiative (FII) Priority Summit in Miami, Trump also emphasized that reopening the Strait of Hormuz is a condition for any agreement with Iran, stressing that maritime access for oil shipments must be restored.
"We're negotiating now, and it would be great if we could do something, but they have to open it up," he said.
Trump reiterated his claim that he helped stop eight wars, including conflicts between Armenia and Azerbaijan; the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda; Cambodia and Thailand; Egypt and Ethiopia; Serbia and Kosovo; and Israel and Hamas.
"I would love my legacy to be made as a great peacemaker because I really believe I am a peacemaker. It doesn't seem like it right now, but I think I am a peacemaker," Trump said.
He added, "I even stopped India and Pakistan, and they were going at it for a week... nine planes already shot down. They were in a war. I stopped them. How did I stop them? I said, if you keep fighting, I'm going to put a 250 percent tariff on each one."
Trump continued, "No, no, no, you cannot do that. I said, I'm doing it. All right, we won't fight anymore. That's how I stopped them."
The US president jokingly referred to the Strait of Hormuz as the "Strait of Trump" before correcting himself, later clarifying that the comment was not accidental.
Trump described Iran as a longstanding source of instability in the Middle East but said its position had weakened under the US military operation Epic Fury.
"For 47 years, Iran has been known as the bully of the Middle East, but they are not the bully any longer. They're on the run," he said, adding that Iran's leadership, armed forces, and nuclear program had suffered significant setbacks during the operation.
.@POTUS: "I know it doesn't sound right for me to say this, but I'd love my legacy to be made as a great peacemaker — because I really believe I'm a peacemaker. It doesn't seem it right now, but I think I'm a peacemaker." pic.twitter.com/NYQSt8wLsv
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 27, 2026
Trump avoided referring to the attacks on Iran as a "war," calling it instead a military operation.
He was also critical of NATO, saying the alliance did not assist the U.S. during the Iran conflict. "NATO is a paper tiger. And I always said we help NATO, but they never help us. And if the big one ever happened—and I don't think it will—but if it did, I guarantee you they wouldn't be there," he said.
Trump reiterated that had the U.S. not "knocked the hell" out of Iran, the country would have had a nuclear weapon "within two to four weeks," despite his insistence that the bombing of Iranian nuclear sites last year set back its program by years.
"They would have used it on you, and on Israel, and on everyone else," he said, addressing the Saudi attendees.
He also hinted at potential action against Cuba: "And Cuba is next, by the way, but pretend I didn't say that. Please, please, please, media, disregard that statement. Thank you very much. Cuba's next," he added.
