US President Donald Trump welcomed Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to the White House on Thursday, highlighting the recent warming of ties between Washington and the South Asian nuclear-armed nation. Ahead of the meeting, Trump praised both leaders as "great leaders."
Sharif arrived just before 5 pm (local time), pulling up to the West Executive Avenue entrance where senior administration officials received him. At his side was Pakistan’s powerful army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir.
The Oval Office session, closed to the press, marked Sharif’s first meeting with a US president. For Pakistan, it was also historic: no prime minister has entered the Oval Office since Imran Khan’s visit in July 2019.
The talks were expected to cover a wide agenda, including bilateral relations, trade, regional security, and global challenges.
For Sharif, the visit capped a busy week in the United States. He had already joined leaders from eight Arab and Muslim nations in a joint meeting with Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, focused on ending the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
Sharif’s government has leaned into building ties with Trump, who already shares a personal connection with Pakistan’s military leadership. The bonhomie between the two sides is notable, given that, not long ago, Trump had called Pakistan a "safe haven" for terrorists while accusing it of repeatedly deceiving the US.
In June, Trump hosted Munir for lunch at the White House. Shortly after, Munir nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize, with Islamabad later citing Trump’s role in mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan.
TRUMP CALLS SHARIF, MUNIR 'GREAT LEADERS'
Earlier, Trump had publicly highlighted the visit, praising both Sharif and Munir as “great leaders.” Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said, “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, both, and they’re coming, and they may be in this room right now.”
