Can the US-Pak bonhomie last?

Trump’s relationship with Pakistan is driven primari’y by transactional diplomacy.

- PRABHU DAYAL

During his first term as President, Donald Trump had tweeted on January 1, 2018 that the US had “foolishly given Pakistan more than $33 billion in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit”.

He had accused Pakistan of providing “safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan”.

In his second term, Trump has changed his opinion and is singing a different tune. He has engaged with Pakistan through a series of high-level meetings and economic and military agreements, signalling a significant warming of relations. The change in posture is centred on economic incentives and has led to renewed diplomatic engagement and military aid.

This shift was recently cemented by a recent high-profile meeting at the White House on September 25, 2025, where Trump met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Asim Munir. ‘Trump praised both Munir and Prime Minister Sharif as “great guys” before their meeting, which was unusual for its secrecy, with no press access, official visuals, or public statements from the White House. Some reports highlighted that Trump kept the Pakistani delegation waiting for about 30 minutes while he completed other engagements, though Sharif and Munir didn’t seem to have taken it as a diplomatic slight.

Trump's personal business interests are certainly playing a pivotal role in shaping his changed policy towards Pakistan. These interests primarily involve ventures related to cryptocurrency and potential deals for rare earth mineral exploration. Trump's business dealings have raised questions about potential conflicts of interest concerning his foreign policy, particularly towards India and Pakistan.