WASHINGTON D.C.—In a stunning reversal of strained relations, President Donald Trump hosted Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir at the White House on Thursday, September 25, 2025.
This closed-door Oval Office meeting, the first formal bilateral between the leaders, signals a major US-Pakistan ties reset—and a strategic pivot in South Asia.
Why is this a Big Deal?
The meeting marks a dramatic change in tone. Trump, who once labeled Pakistan a “terrorist safe haven,” publicly hailed the two visitors as “great leaders.”
The new rapport is driven by key economic deals, including a US-Pakistan trade agreement announced in July. Pakistan is offering America access to its vast, untapped reserves of critical minerals and oil, giving the US a strategic alternative to Chinese supply chains.
The high-profile engagement with Islamabad comes at a time of rising friction between the US and India, particularly over tariffs and New Delhi’s purchase of Russian oil. Analysts see Trump actively rebalancing the region by prioritizing the burgeoning partnership with Pakistan.
Talks covered counter-terrorism and Pakistan’s crucial role in US strategy regarding Afghanistan, including the potential interest in regaining access to the Bagram Air Base.
Pakistan has officially nominated President Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, citing his claimed mediation in the India-Pakistan ceasefire earlier this year—an effort to further cement the warming relationship.
This meeting underscores a significant US foreign policy shift, highlighting a new era of US-Pakistan cooperation fueled by strategic trade, energy interests, and a renewed security focus.
