New Delhi [India], June 19: Congress MP Jairam Ramesh and Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi have strongly criticised US President Donald Trump for hosting Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir at the White House, calling it a setback to Indian diplomacy and a tacit endorsement of military dominance in Pakistan.
In a post on X, Ramesh expressed concern over the optics and implications of the meeting. “Field Marshal Asim Munir is NOT the Head of State or Head of Government of Pakistan. He is the Chief of Army Staff. Yet he gets invited by President Trump for lunch and receives much praise,” Ramesh wrote.
He also reminded that Munir’s “atrocious and inflammatory” remarks had formed the backdrop to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed multiple lives. “It is a huge blow to Indian diplomacy (and huglomacy too),” he added.
President Trump hosted General Munir for lunch at the White House on Wednesday, praising the Pakistani Army chief for his role in de-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan. “The reason I had him here was I wanted to thank him for not going into the war and ending it…” Trump remarked.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also condemned the meeting, criticising both Trump and Munir. “Instead of meeting PM Shahbaz Sharif, POTUS says he was ‘honoured’ to meet their self-promoted Field Marshal, clearly acknowledging that Pakistan is governed by its army,” she posted on X.
Chaturvedi called the interaction ironic, especially in light of Trump’s aspirations for a Nobel Peace Prize. “The President… is lunching with a tainted man who is endorsing his Nobel dream — a man who has actively abetted and aided terrorism to threaten peace across regions and the world!” she said.
The meeting has stirred political outrage in India, particularly because Munir, a military figure rather than an elected leader, was given diplomatic visibility typically reserved for heads of state or government — a move many believe undermines democratic norms and raises questions about Washington’s stance on Pakistan’s military influence.