ISLAMABAD: US President Donald Trump on Wednesday called Pakistan’s army chief “extremely influential,” crediting him with playing a major role in securing a ceasefire with India, shortly before a scheduled luncheon with Field Marshal Asim Munir.
The meeting comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East and marks a rare direct engagement, signaling a cautious thaw in US-Pakistan relations under Trump’s second term.
This will be the first time in several years a Pakistani army chief is hosted by a sitting US president at the White House.
Both sides appear eager to rebuild military and economic cooperation after years of strained ties, largely over counter-terrorism disagreements.
“I love Pakistan,” Trump said when asked what he wanted to achieve diplomatically in the meeting with Pakistan’s army chief.
“This man [the army chief] was extremely influential in stopping it [the war] from the Pakistan side,” he added.
Trump also highlighted his role in the India-Pakistan ceasefire, saying that he prevented war between two nuclear powers.
Previously, he has hinted at a possible trade deal with Pakistan and India after helping broker a ceasefire between the nuclear-armed neighbors, following a deadly flare-up earlier this year.
Around 70 people were killed on both sides during the hostilities, which saw the exchange of missiles, drones and artillery fire. Pakistan said it shot down six Indian Air Force fighter jets, including three French-made Rafale aircraft.
The US has praised Pakistan’s leadership and reinstated military assistance previously suspended over concerns related to Afghanistan as part of Washington’s renewed outreach.
Islamabad, meanwhile, is also seeking to balance its deepening strategic partnership with China including arms supplies and defense infrastructure with broader engagement with the US.
Pakistan’s powerful military remains central to shaping its foreign and security policies.
The direct outreach to its top commander underscores Washington’s efforts to manage regional stability, including the fallout from the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, recent cross-border tensions with India and the broader Israel-Iran escalation.
Security analysts say the meeting also signals a renewed US push to retain influence in a region where China is expanding its footprint through infrastructure investments and growing defense cooperation with Islamabad.
It remains unclear whether Trump will raise the Iran-Israel conflict with Munir, though Pakistan’s status as the world’s only nuclear-armed Muslim country and its shared border with Iran may factor into broader regional security discussions.
