New Delhi

Foreign policy expert Mahesh Sachdev on Wednesday said US President Donald Trump appears increasingly “desperate” to project foreign policy successes, amid declining popularity and mounting domestic and international challenges.

Commenting on Trump’s State of the Union address to the US Congress, Sachdev said the President’s repeated claim of having stopped a potential conflict between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack last year must be seen in the context of the approaching US midterm elections and a sharp dip in Trump’s approval ratings.

During his address, Trump reiterated that he had “stopped eight wars” and took credit for preventing an escalation between India and Pakistan in May last year. India, however, has consistently rejected any third-party mediation, maintaining that the request to end hostilities came from Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations.

“I think the context is quite clear. This reiteration comes at a time when President Trump’s popularity seems to be declining precipitously as the midterm elections loom, making him more desperate to claim foreign policy achievements, which in reality have been rare,” Sachdev told ANI.

He added that the lack of tangible progress in efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war, stalled movement towards a durable peace settlement in Gaza, and frozen negotiations with Iran have further compounded the US President’s challenges.

“All this put together makes him more desperate for a foreign policy success,” Sachdev said.

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The expert also noted that the President’s address carries heightened political significance, as Trump does not otherwise engage in day-to-day congressional deliberations. He described the current period as “turbulent,” citing rising geopolitical tensions, the looming November midterm elections, and a recent verdict by the US Supreme Court that struck down Trump’s tariff strategy.