In a major geopolitical shift, US President Donald Trump is set to host visiting Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir for lunch at the White House on Wednesday.
“The President has lunch with the Chief of Army Staff of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,” an advisory issued by the White House said after conflicting reports of Munir getting an invitation from a sitting American President.
The meeting comes even as the US seeks to bring to an end the ongoing crisis in the Middle East, with reports indicating the US might be directly involved in the Israel-Iran war. This would be a rare occasion for a US President to directly host a top Pakistani military general in Washington. The last Pakistani military leader to meet a sitting US President was General Pervez Musharraf in 2001, who did so as the nation’s head of state during his tenure as a military dictator.
What expert says on Trump-Munir meeting
South Asia analyst Michael Kugelman pointed out the significance of the meeting in a post on X. “Senior US officials often engage with Pakistani Army Chiefs, but rarely is one hosted at the White House by the US President. One of many reasons why Munir’s scheduled meeting with Trump is so significant, especially as his administration considers its options regarding the war in Iran,” he posted on X.
“For what it’s worth, the scheduled Trump-Munir meeting shouldn’t only be seen through the lens of the Israel-Iran war. There’s been US-Pak engagement on critical minerals, crypto, and Counter-Terrorism. Trump takes a deep personal interest in all of these. And Munir is empowered to talk about it all. Also, Kashmir,” he added.
Is Trump planning to take the help of the Pakistani airbase to attack Iran?
The Trump-Munir meeting comes after reports speculated on the possibility of Pakistan aiding Iran during its ongoing conflict with Israel. Asim Munir, in a public address in Washington, DC, had declared Pakistan’s “clear and strong” support for Iran in its war with Israel while also backing US efforts to de-escalate the situation.
The Dawn reported that one of the most consequential developments during Munir’s visit, however, has been Pakistan’s strengthened counterterrorism partnership with the United States, particularly against the Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K) group. However, there were reports which suggested the US President could pressurise Islamabad to allow its forces to use its bases. However, an official confirmation from the White House is still awaited.
Does the US have its military bases in Pakistan?
In the early 2000s, during the US war in Afghanistan, the US used Pakistani airbases (such as Shamsi Airbase) for logistical and drone operations. However, following tensions in US-Pakistan relations, especially after the 2011 Osama bin Laden raid and NATO airstrikes that killed Pakistani soldiers, Pakistan asked the US to vacate these bases. By late 2011, the US had fully vacated Shamsi Airbase and lost access to key Pakistani military facilities.
As of 2025, there are no confirmed US military airbases operating in Pakistan. There have been speculations and diplomatic talks in recent years about US access to logistics or air corridors for counterterrorism efforts, but nothing publicly confirmed about re-establishing bases. In 2021, during the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, a report by The New York Times suggested the US was in quiet negotiations with Pakistan for access to airspace for “over-the-horizon” counterterrorism missions.
Pakistan reportedly allowed limited access, but only under strict conditions and approval on a case-by-case basis. However, these reports were never confirmed by either side.
Trump’s bigger plan for Iran
Meanwhile, the US President has his hands full with the current crisis in West Asia. On Tuesday he posted on Truth Social demanding an “unconditional surrender” by Iran. He also met with his national security team. In a series of posts on Truth Social, Trump said “we” now have “complete and total control of the skies over Iran” and “we know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding”. He warned “Our patience is wearing thin”, and then posted, “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!”
Ironically, General Asim Munir and Pakistan have emerged as one of the strongest supporters of Iran. In a speech in Washington DC Munir said his country stood with Iran while hoping for the conflict to end soon.
Israel has launched a series of airstrikes on Iranian military and nuclear targets, prompting retaliatory attacks from Tehran. Trump has been vocal in his support for Israel, emphasising that Iran cannot be allowed to develop nuclear weapons.