WASHINGTON – In a landmark development, U.S. President Donald Trump and Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir held a two-hour meeting at the White House to discuss counterterrorism cooperation, regional stability, and future trade opportunities.
The meeting, described by Pakistan’s military as “cordial,” took place on Wednesday in the Cabinet Room, followed by a visit to the Oval Office — making Field Marshal Munir the first serving army chief from Pakistan to be formally hosted by a sitting U.S. president in such a capacity.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), “Although initially scheduled for one hour, the meeting extended for over two hours, underscoring the depth and cordiality of the dialogue.”
President Trump praised Pakistan’s role in maintaining regional peace, stating during a press interaction:
“I was honoured to meet him (Field Marshal Munir) today. He agreed with me. The reason I had him here was that I wanted to thank him for not going into the war [with India]. And I want to thank PM [Narendra] Modi as well, who just left a few days ago.”
Trump further acknowledged both countries’ restraint during the recent Pakistan-India crisis, noting:
“Two very smart people decided not to keep going with that war; that could have been a nuclear war. Pakistan and India are two big nuclear powers.”
The ISPR said both sides reaffirmed their commitment to counterterrorism collaboration and explored avenues for economic partnership. Discussions spanned sectors including trade, minerals, artificial intelligence, energy, cryptocurrency, and emerging technologies.
“President Trump expressed keen interest in forging a mutually beneficial trade partnership with Pakistan based on long-term strategic convergence and shared interests,” the statement added.
Also present during the engagement were U.S. Secretary of State Senator Marco Rubio and Special Representative for Middle Eastern Affairs Steve Witkoff, while Pakistan’s National Security Advisor Lt Gen Muhammad Asim Malik accompanied the COAS.
On regional conflicts, the leaders also exchanged views on the ongoing Iran-Israel hostilities. Trump told reporters:
“They (Pakistan) know Iran very well, better than most, and they’re not happy about anything. It’s not that they’re bad with Israel. They know them both, actually, but they know Iran better.”
Field Marshal Munir conveyed Pakistan’s gratitude for Trump’s “constructive and result-oriented role in facilitating a ceasefire between Pakistan and India in the recent regional crisis.”
The ISPR also noted that the COAS extended an invitation to Trump to visit Pakistan, describing it as “a gesture reflecting the warmth of bilateral ties.”
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly confirmed the visit and added that Trump had been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in preventing an armed conflict between Pakistan and India.
Diplomatic sources indicated the meeting was facilitated through “unorthodox efforts” by U.S.-based business and political intermediaries, rather than standard diplomatic protocols.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif described the meeting as a “milestone in Pak-US ties” and praised the civilian-military cooperation under the current government.
فیلڈ مارشل عاصم منیر اور صدر ٹرمپ کی ملاقات پاک امریکہ تعلقات میں ایک سنگ میل ھے۔ اس سے پہلے امریکہ صدر کی پاکستانی آرمی چیف کی دعوت اور ملاقات کی مثال نہیں یہ تعلقات کی 78سال کی تاریخ سب سے اھم موڑ ھے۔ اس ملاقات میں جسطرح بین الاقوامی اور خطہ کے معاملات زیر بحث آۓ اس سے وطنُ…
— Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) June 19, 2025
“The revival of the economy, the defeat of India, the glorious and highly successful improvement in relations with the US — all these revolutionary changes were possible with the cooperation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir and the excellent relations between Islamabad and Rawalpindi.”
This high-level interaction marks a potential turning point in U.S.-Pakistan relations, signaling renewed strategic interest and trust between the two nations.