Washington: In a highly unusual move, U.S. President Donald Trump hosted Pakistan’s military chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, at the White House on Wednesday, marking a rare occasion where a U.S. president met Pakistan’s top general without accompanying civilian leaders from Islamabad. The meeting has raised diplomatic eyebrows, particularly in India, as Trump reiterated claims that he played a key role in halting recent hostilities between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
Trump described the meeting, held over lunch, as “an honor,” highlighting discussions on regional tensions, particularly regarding Iran. “Pakistan knows Iran better than most,” Trump told reporters, noting that he thanked both Munir and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for helping avert what he called a potential nuclear war. “Two very smart people decided not to keep going with that war,” Trump said.
According to Pakistani officials and analysts, Munir intended to urge Trump to steer clear of military involvement in Israel’s conflict with Iran and instead push for a ceasefire. Pakistan, which manages Iranian interests in the U.S. through its embassy, has strongly condemned Israeli airstrikes on Iran, describing them as violations of international law and threats to regional stability.
The visit is seen as a diplomatic breakthrough for U.S.-Pakistan relations, which had cooled during the Trump and Biden administrations amid a strategic U.S. pivot toward India to counter China.
Asked about the purpose of the meeting, Trump claimed credit for ending the May conflict between India and Pakistan. “I stopped a war. I love Pakistan. I think Modi is a fantastic man,” he said. Trump also mentioned a potential trade deal with India, adding that both Munir and Modi played instrumental roles in de-escalating the recent conflict.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly stated that Munir’s visit followed his suggestion that Trump should be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for preventing a nuclear conflict. Trump previously said a U.S.-brokered truce ended the fighting, encouraging both sides to pursue trade over warfare.
India, however, has dismissed Trump’s mediation narrative. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri clarified that the de-escalation was achieved through direct military communications between India and Pakistan, with no involvement from the United States. Modi, during his call with Trump on Tuesday night, emphasized India’s long-standing policy of rejecting third-party mediation in disputes with Pakistan.
“There was no discussion at any point about U.S. mediation or trade deals during the conflict,” Misri said. He also noted that Modi declined an invitation to stop in the U.S. after the upcoming G7 summit in Canada, citing prior commitments.
The recent escalation — the deadliest in years — was triggered by a deadly April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 people. India accused Pakistan-backed militants, a charge Islamabad denies. The confrontation culminated in airstrikes, artillery duels, drone use, and missile fire between May 7 and 10.
Analyst Michael Kugelman of the Asia Pacific Foundation warned -cited by Reuters- that Trump’s repeated claims of U.S. mediation could complicate Washington’s relations with New Delhi. “India has always been sensitive to any suggestion of external mediation, especially regarding Kashmir,” he said. “The question for Delhi is how much U.S.-Pakistan cooperation it can accept before it begins to damage the U.S.-India strategic partnership.”
