A video of former U.S. President Donald Trump is being widely shared online, in which he appears to mock Pakistan following India’s announcement to revoke the Indus Waters Treaty last month.
The Indus Waters Treaty is a vital water-sharing agreement between the two South Asian neighbours, regulating the distribution of key river systems. The video, circulated in this tense political climate, has fuelled speculation that Trump was ridiculing Pakistan’s position on the issue.
Claim
On April 30, an Indian Instagram account posted a short clip of Trump with the caption: “Donald Trump trolls entire Pakistan over water.”
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In the video, Trump dramatically says: “Oh, I need water. Help me, I need water!” before theatrically emptying a bottle. The clip was widely interpreted as a reaction to the water dispute with Pakistan.
As of this report, the video had been viewed over 39,100 times, liked 11,400 times, and shared more than 4,800 times. It has also spread on TikTok and X (formerly Twitter).
Fact
The claim is false.
This video is from 2016, not recent weeks, and it has no connection to Pakistan or the Indus Waters Treaty.
Reverse image search confirms that the full clip was recorded during a campaign rally in Texas when Trump was running for president. In the full video, published by CNN and NBC News, Trump is mocking his Republican rival Marco Rubio, not commenting on international issues.
The clip has resurfaced amid renewed India-Pakistan tensions after a deadly attack in Pahalgam, which concluded with a ceasefire on May 10. Its timing led to misleading interpretations online.
Verdict
The viral video of Donald Trump mocking someone over water is not related to Pakistan or the Indus Waters Treaty. It dates back to 2016 and was aimed at a U.S. political rival, not a foreign country.
