When people talk about Donald Trump’s foreign policy, the conversation usually gets loud and stays loud. Some folks see him as a peacemaker who stayed out of new conflicts, while others see a guy who just got lucky or left a mess for the next person. But if we’re being honest, looking at what wars has trump stopped requires moving past the campaign slogans and looking at the actual boots on the ground—or the lack thereof.
Basically, Trump’s "America First" vibe was less about being a pacifist and more about being a transaction guy. He hated "forever wars." He thought they were a waste of cash and American lives. That mindset led to some wild diplomatic moments that actually did put a dent in global tensions, even if they didn't all result in a "mission accomplished" banner.
The Gaza Ceasefire and the New Middle East
One of the most recent and talked-about examples happened just lately. After the 2024 election and his return to the White House, Trump leaned hard into the Gaza conflict. He basically told everyone involved that the killing had to stop, and he didn't care whose feelings got hurt in the process.
The result? A massive diplomatic push that culminated in an end to the heavy fighting in Gaza and the release of remaining hostages in late 2025. Critics say he just used brute force and threats, but supporters point to the fact that people stopped dying. It wasn't just a "hope and pray" strategy; it was a "stop this or else" strategy.
The Abraham Accords: Beyond the Hype
You can't talk about Trump stopping wars without looking back at the 2020 Abraham Accords. Before this, the common wisdom in Washington was that you couldn't have peace between Israel and Arab nations without solving the Palestinian issue first. Trump's team, led by Jared Kushner, basically said, "Watch us."
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They bypassed the old rules and got the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan to normalize ties with Israel. Did it stop a hot war? Not a shooting war that was happening that day. But it effectively ended a "state of war" that had existed for decades. It shifted the region from a "everyone vs. Israel" dynamic to a "everyone vs. Iran" dynamic.
The Seven Wars Claim: Fact or Fiction?
During his rallies, Trump often claims he "ended seven wars." That sounds like a lot, right? In 2025 and early 2026, he’s been repeating this list that includes conflicts between:
- Cambodia and Thailand
- Kosovo and Serbia
- DRC and Rwanda
- India and Pakistan
- Israel and Iran
- Egypt and Ethiopia
- Armenia and Azerbaijan
Now, let's get real for a second. In many of these cases, like India and Pakistan, the U.S. played a role in de-escalating a specific flare-up (like the 2019 border skirmish), but the underlying war hasn't "ended" in the way a history book might record it. For instance, the DRC and Rwanda agreement in June 2025 was a huge deal for securing mineral rights and a ceasefire, but the M23 rebels didn't all just go home and start farming.
The Armenia-Azerbaijan "Trump Route"
The August 2025 Joint Declaration between Armenia and Azerbaijan is a classic Trump move. It wasn't just about "please stop shooting." It was about the TRIPP (Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity). He basically brokered a deal where an infrastructure corridor would link Azerbaijan to its exclave through Armenia.
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The logic? If there’s money to be made and trade flowing through the region, people are less likely to start shelling each other. It’s peace through commerce. It’s not a final peace treaty yet—Azerbaijan is still being difficult about some legal details—but it’s a far cry from the full-scale wars seen in 2020 and 2023.
The War That Didn't Happen: North Korea
People forget how close we were to a nuclear "fire and fury" situation in 2017. Most experts at the time were genuinely terrified. Trump’s approach was to go from insults like "Little Rocket Man" to being "in love" with Kim Jong Un.
The 2018 Singapore Summit and the 2019 Hanoi Summit didn't result in North Korea giving up their nukes. Not even close. But it did stop the missile tests for a long time. It cooled the temperature. He didn't end the Korean War (which is technically still ongoing since the 50s), but he definitely stopped the immediate threat of a new, catastrophic conflict.
The Withdrawal From Afghanistan
This is the one that gets everyone heated. Trump signed the Doha Agreement with the Taliban in 2020. He wanted out. He started the process of bringing troops home, which eventually led to the 2021 withdrawal.
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Technically, he ended America's involvement in that specific war. He didn't stop the war in Afghanistan—the Taliban just took over—but he stopped the American war there. It's a nuance that matters. To a mother in Ohio whose son didn't get deployed, the war "stopped." To a woman in Kabul, the war just changed shapes.
Why This Matters for 2026 and Beyond
Trump’s "Donroe Doctrine"—a 2026 update to the Monroe Doctrine—shows he’s focusing more on our own hemisphere. He’s looking to stop wars that affect U.S. trade and migration rather than acting as the world's policeman.
His strategy is almost always:
- Threaten massive economic or military force.
- Offer a business-centric way out (The "Trump Route" or mineral deals).
- Withdraw U.S. forces as soon as the ink is dry.
It’s a messy, loud, and often controversial way to do diplomacy. It doesn't always lead to "perfect" peace, and it often ignores things like human rights in favor of stability and trade. But when people ask what wars has trump stopped, the answer isn't a simple list. It's a series of cooled-down hotspots and "stopped" American involvements that have fundamentally changed how the world works.
Actionable Insights for Following Geopolitics
- Look for the Trade Angle: If you want to know if a peace deal will stick, look at the infrastructure. Like the TRIPP in Armenia, if there’s no money involved, it’s probably just talk.
- Watch the "Sphere of Influence": The shift toward the Western Hemisphere means the U.S. might be less likely to jump into European or Asian conflicts unless there's a direct threat to American soil.
- Differentiate between "Ending a War" and "Stopping a Conflict": A ceasefire (like in Gaza) is a win, but it’s not the same as a final treaty. Keep an eye on whether these 2025-2026 deals actually turn into long-term stability.
The world in 2026 is seeing a different kind of American power—one that is transactional, unpredictable, and focused on the bottom line. Whether that makes the world safer or just more chaotic depends entirely on who you ask.
Next Steps:
If you want to track the current status of these ceasefires, check the monthly reports from the International Crisis Group or the latest briefings from the Department of State. These sources provide the technical details on whether the "stopped" wars are actually staying quiet.