Trump hosts Pakistan army chief, claims he stopped India-Pakistan war
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Trump hosted Pakistan’s army chief at the White House, claiming he stopped a war with India, an assertion India denies, rejecting any US mediation in the recent ceasefire.
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Pakistani army Lt. General Syed Asim Munir attends a ceremony in Islamabad, Pakistan, November 1, 2022. (AP/WK Yousufzai)
US President Donald Trump’s unprecedented meeting with Pakistan’s army chief has triggered diplomatic friction with India, as both South Asian nations deny Washington's role in brokering their recent ceasefire.
In a first-of-its-kind meeting, Trump hosted Pakistan’s Field Marshal Asim Munir at the White House on Wednesday, a move that marks a rare elevation of military diplomacy in US-Pakistan relations.
Munir attended without any senior Pakistani civilian officials, underscoring the military’s dominant role in Islamabad’s foreign affairs.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Trump praised Munir and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for helping halt a conflict that he described as potentially “nuclear.”
“Two very smart people decided not to keep going with that war,” Trump said, claiming credit for stopping hostilities between India and Pakistan last month.
The lunch meeting covered regional tensions, trade, and technology, according to both parties. Pakistan’s military released a statement following the two-hour session, noting that Trump expressed “keen interest in forging a mutually beneficial trade partnership” and discussed economic development, cryptocurrency, and regional stability, including "Israel's" war on Iran.
The statement also said the discussion covered de-escalation between “India and Pakistan,” suggesting the meeting was partly framed around Trump's claim of a mediating role.
Pakistani officials had reportedly expected Munir to urge Trump to avoid entering the Israeli war on Iran and to push for a ceasefire. Pakistan’s embassy in Washington also hosts a diplomatic office representing Iran’s interests in the US.
India rebuffs claim of US mediation in ceasefire
India countered Trump’s claim of mediation. Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that Prime Minister Modi made clear during their recent phone call that there was no mediation by the United States and that India had not authorized any third-party involvement.
“Talks for ceasing military action happened directly between India and Pakistan through existing military channels, and on the insistence of Pakistan,” Misri said, reaffirming India’s position, “India has not accepted mediation in the past and will never do.”
Modi and Trump’s call on Tuesday night was their first direct contact since the intense four-day conflict from May 7 to 10.
That confrontation followed a deadly attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir in April, which killed 26 people and was blamed by India on “terrorists” allegedly backed by Pakistan, an accusation Islamabad denies.
Ceasefire emerged from military channels, not diplomacy
India responded to the April 22 attack with cross-border strikes on what it called “terrorist infrastructure,” leading to four days of retaliatory fire using jets, drones, missiles, and artillery.
Pakistan later said its military returned a call made by India’s armed forces, initiating a ceasefire agreement. Despite this version of events, Trump has continued to position himself as the key figure in averting a wider conflict.
“I stopped the war… I love Pakistan. I think Modi is a fantastic man,” Trump said, adding that both leaders had shown restraint and leadership in avoiding nuclear escalation. He also suggested that new trade deals with both countries could emerge as a result.
Trump eyes Nobel nomination amid rising geopolitical stakes
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly confirmed that Trump hosted Munir after Pakistan’s military called for him to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for preventing a nuclear confrontation.
The visit reflects an effort by the Trump administration to reset US-Pakistan relations after years of stagnation under both Trump and Biden, during which Washington prioritized ties with India to contain China.
Still, the perception of US involvement in India-Pakistan affairs remains highly sensitive in New Delhi. Michael Kugelman, an analyst with the Asia Pacific Foundation, noted that further remarks by Trump on Kashmir or ceasefire mediation could place strain on US-India ties.
“For Delhi, it all boils down to an age-old question: How much can it tolerate US-Pakistan cooperation without having it spoil US–India relations,” he said.
