Washington, DC [US], June 18: Pakistan’s Army Chief, General Asim Munir, who is currently on an official visit to the United States, met former President Donald Trump at the White House, marking a rare high-level engagement between a Pakistani military leader and a U.S. president.
According to the White House itinerary, Trump and Munir shared a lunch meeting, which comes amid speculation about Pakistan’s potential role in the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict.
South Asia analyst Michael Kugelman highlighted the importance of the meeting in a post on X (formerly Twitter). “Senior US officials often engage with Pakistani Army Chiefs, but rarely is one hosted at the White House by the US President. One of many reasons why Munir’s scheduled meeting with Trump is so significant, especially as his administration considers its options regarding the war in Iran,” Kugelman noted.
He added that the meeting shouldn’t be viewed solely through the lens of the Israel-Iran conflict. “There’s also been U.S.-Pakistan engagement on critical minerals, crypto, counterterrorism, and Kashmir. Trump takes a deep personal interest in all of these areas, and Munir is empowered to speak on them,” he said.
During a public address in Washington, General Munir expressed Pakistan’s “clear and strong” support for Iran in its conflict with Israel, while also supporting U.S. efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region.
According to Dawn, one of the most significant outcomes of Munir’s visit has been the deepening of U.S.-Pakistan counterterrorism cooperation, especially targeting the Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K) group.
Meanwhile, Munir’s presence in Washington sparked protests by overseas Pakistanis. Outside a hotel event in the city, demonstrators chanted slogans such as “Pakistanio ke Qatil” and “Islamabad ke Qatil” in opposition to the military chief.
Imran Khan’s political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), shared a video of the protest on X, condemning Munir for alleged human rights violations in Pakistan. Protest signs displayed slogans like “Mass Murderer Asim Munir,” “Democracy dies when guns speak,” and “Asim Munir, your time is up. Pakistan will rise.”
This visit2 marks the first time a Pakistani military leader has met with a U.S. President since General Pervez Musharraf met President George W. Bush in 2001 during his tenure as Pakistan’s head of state and military ruler.