In an unprecedented display of warmth, US President Donald Trump hosted Pakistan’s powerful army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, for lunch at the White House this week — a first for a Pakistani military leader who is not also head of state. The meeting signals a dramatic reset in US-Pakistan relations that is drawing both scrutiny and concern in neighbouring India.
The symbolism of the event, taking place just over three months after Trump credited Pakistan with helping capture the alleged Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) operative behind the 2021 Abbey Gate bombing in Kabul, was not lost on observers.
That gratitude now appears to have translated into extraordinary access for Munir, who is on a five-day tour of the US that includes meetings at the Pentagon, the State Department, and US Central Command (CENTCOM) headquarters in Florida.
The visit comes amid a wave of regional volatility. Israel has launched strikes deep inside Iran, prompting missile and drone retaliation from Tehran. With Iran sharing a 900-kilometre border with Pakistan and maintaining diplomatic ties with Islamabad, US officials may see Pakistan as a potential de-escalatory player. Trump acknowledged as much during his meeting with Munir, telling reporters: “The Pakistanis know Iran very well, better than most — but they’re not happy.”
More broadly, Trump framed the lunch as a gesture of thanks for Munir’s role in diffusing a recent four-day conflict between India and Pakistan. “I stopped the war between Pakistan and India,” Trump said. “This man was extremely influential in stopping it from the Pakistan side, Modi from the India side, and others.”
Nevertheless, Munir’s red-carpet treatment in Washington has raised eyebrows in Delhi. For years, India has positioned itself as the US’s more reliable democratic partner — a counterbalance to China, and a key hub for trade and intelligence-sharing. Pakistan, in contrast, has often been viewed in Washington as harbouring terrorists and undermining civilian governance.
In fact, it was Trump himself who, just seven years ago, accused Pakistan of offering “nothing but lies and deceit”. His predecessor, Joe Biden, later called it “one of the most dangerous nations in the world”.
Analysts argue that this reset is driven not by institutional US foreign policy, but by Trump’s personal calculus. “You’re dealing with an administration that is mercurial and personalised,” said Marvin Weinbaum, a former State Department analyst.
Others see clear strategic incentives. CENTCOM chief General Michael E Kurilla recently hailed Pakistan as a “phenomenal” counter-terrorism partner, citing its cooperation in the capture of the Abbey Gate bombing suspect.
Washington-based analyst Michael Kugelman believes Trump sees Munir as a strongman — someone who projects control and dominance. “Trump knows that in Pakistan, it’s the army chief who really runs the show,” Kugelman said. “And he responds well to that kind of authority.”
Indeed, the meeting harks back to earlier periods of close US-Pakistan military ties under past strongmen like Ayub Khan, Zia-ul-Haq, and Pervez Musharraf — all of whom were received in Washington only after becoming heads of state. Munir’s unprecedented treatment while remaining outside civilian office sends a clear message about where Washington sees the locus of power in Islamabad.
Pakistan is actively courting US investment in two high-stakes areas: cryptocurrency and critical minerals — particularly rare earths essential to defence and tech industries. Islamabad has also proposed a trade deal with no tariffs. For Trump, these are issues of personal interest, making Pakistan’s pitch all the more attractive.
“This is classic Trump: ‘What can you do for me? What can I get out of this?’” said Kugelman.
Some see strategic logic in the timing. “Pakistan again stands at a fork in the road,” said Arif Ansar of PoliTact. “Will it lean toward China or the US? That choice is tied to the evolving Israel-Iran conflict, and the role Pakistan may play in that theatre.”
Whatever happens next, the Trump-Munir meeting confirms one thing: Pakistan is back in Washington’s inner circle — at least for now. And for India, it’s an uncomfortable echo of history repeating itself.