US President Donald Trump welcomed Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir to the Oval Office in Washington on Thursday. The meeting marked the first formal talks between the two leaders, coming six years after former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s 2019 visit during Trump’s first term.
But something felt off about the gathering. The White House skipped its usual routine of sharing official photos or videos, which it typically does for meetings with foreign leaders. Earlier that day, Trump met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, complete with a live joint briefing for the press. In contrast, only Pakistan’s official social media accounts posted updates about the Trump-Sharif-Munir discussion.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s Office reported that US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio joined the closed-door session, describing the vibe as pleasant. The talks ran about 30 minutes late while Trump wrapped up signing executive orders. White House press pool images did capture Sharif and Munir waiting outside as the president finished his other duties.
Sharif traveled to the US for the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. His stop in Washington highlights a quick warming of US-Pakistan ties, including military cooperation, amid broader geopolitical shifts.
The timing drew attention from across the region. On the same day, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar addressed the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting in New York. Without naming Pakistan directly, he stressed the global fight against terrorism, calling it a “perennial disruptor of peace.” Jaishankar urged the world to show “neither tolerance nor accommodation” for terrorist networks and pushed for reforms in institutions like the United Nations.
South Asia expert Michael Kugelman, speaking to on the sidelines of the UNGA, flagged how this US-Pakistan resurgence is straining India-US relations. “India has long accepted the US-Pakistan friendship, including the military side,” he said. “But this rapid strengthening has become a real tension point, especially with other frictions brewing between Washington and New Delhi.” Kugelman pointed out that the quick pace of renewed ties has amplified existing challenges in the trio’s dynamics.
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