Diplomacy and mediation require respect, historical knowledge, and empathy – the latter being the ability to see the perspective of others without necessarily agreeing with them. Trump shows none of these qualities. And with the diplomatic corps having been gutted of personnel during his presidency, there is little recourse for wiser counsel to offset this president’s boorish, bullying manner.

Trump’s mercurial character makes him unreliable as a partner. He is prone to turning nasty on a dime even to people whom he has at one time lauded as being friendly with. Witness his erratic behavior towards Chinese President Xi Jinping or French leader Emmanuel Macron. Trump seems to have no brake for his big mouth, or care about the consequences.

When he was hosting Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan in the Oval Office earlier this month, Trump announced that Indian leader Narendra Modi had requested his mediation over the long-running Kashmir dispute. It was an explosive claim by Trump, which Modi’s office vehemently denied, as India has repeatedly refused to entertain any international intervention over the territory which would dilute its authority. Trump’s clumsy interpolation has triggered the rush by India to tighten its control over Kashmir and the worrying escalation of cross-border shooting between Indian and Pakistani troops.