WASHINGTON – U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir to the Oval Office on September 25, describing both leaders as “great guys” and signaling a potential thaw in relations between the two countries.

The meeting, also attended by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, came on the heels of a newly signed trade agreement and followed a brief encounter between Trump and Sharif at the UN General Assembly in New York on September 23.

“We have a great leader coming, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, and the Field Marshal. Field Marshal is a very great guy, and so is the Prime Minister,” Trump told reporters shortly before the meeting.

Sharif and Munir were seen waiting at the White House for nearly half an hour while Trump completed prior engagements and signed several executive orders, ANI reported.

The U.S. has historically viewed Pakistan as a strategic partner, from the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan to the post-9/11 “war on terror.” Relations, however, soured over time, particularly after Osama bin Laden was found living in Pakistan, and Trump himself criticized Islamabad in 2018, saying it had offered Washington “nothing but lies and deceit.”

The renewed engagement reflects a shift, with Pakistan now offering economic and strategic incentives. The visit comes in the background of  the signing of an agreement for Pakistan to supply critical minerals and rare earth elements to the United States, backed by a $500 million investment from a U.S. firm. This also follows Trump’s July pledge to help Pakistan develop its “massive oil reserves.” The broader trade deal includes a 19 percent tariff on Pakistani imports while facilitating U.S. involvement in Pakistan’s energy sector.

The renewed focus on collaboration appears to be paying dividends. Washington has hosted Munir three times in recent months, particularly with ties with Narendra Modi’s India turning frosty.

Trump has claimed credit for helping broker a ceasefire, a claim India has repeatedly denied. Pakistan has found it expedient to acknowledge the U.S. role and has gone on to nominate Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize in “recognition of his decisive diplomatic intervention and pivotal leadership during the recent India-Pakistan crisis.”

The last Pakistani prime minister to visit the White House was Imran Khan in July 2019.

@ANI