A Bloomberg investigation published 8 Aug 2025 says a tense, 35-minute phone call on 17 June between U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi set off the sharp deterioration now gripping U.S.–India relations. Sources cited by Bloomberg describe the exchange as coming just weeks after Washington brokered a cease-fire that ended fighting between India and Pakistan in May. During the call Trump reportedly claimed personal credit for halting the conflict—an assertion Modi rejected—while also defending the White House’s invitation to Pakistan’s army chief, General Asim Munir, for talks in Washington. Indian officials, the report says, "seethed" at what they viewed as Washington putting Islamabad on an equal footing with New Delhi. The fallout has produced what one U.S. official called a "stunning escalation" of diplomatic tension, undermining years of bipartisan efforts to deepen defence and technology cooperation with India. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce this week praised U.S. mediation and counter-terror coordination with Pakistan, but offered no comment on the status of talks with New Delhi, leaving the future of the strategic partnership in doubt.