Trump hosts Pakistani army chief, disagrees with Modi over India-Pakistan war mediation

US president says he is honoured to host Field Marshal Asim Munir

- 

US President Donald Trump hosted Pakistan’s army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir at the White House on Wednesday in an unprecedented meeting that risked worsening a disagreement with India over the president's claim that he stopped last month’s conflict between the nuclear-armed South Asian foes.

The lunch meeting was the first time a US president had hosted the head of Pakistan’s army at the White House unaccompanied by senior Pakistani civilian officials.

Trump said he was honoured to meet Munir and that they had discussed Iran, which he said Pakistan knew better than most. Trump told reporters he had thanked Munir for ending the war with India, for which he also praised Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who he spoke to on Tuesday night.

“Two very smart people decided not to keep going with that war; that could have been a nuclear war,” Trump told reporters. Pakistan’s military said in a statement that the two discussed trade, economic development, and cryptocurrency during the two-hour meeting and also exchanged views on tensions between Israel and Iran.