The Kabul Tribune (KT) — President Donald Trump welcomed Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir to the Oval Office early Friday, marking the first formal bilateral meeting between the leaders.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio joined the talks, which Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s Office described as taking place in a “pleasant atmosphere.” The closed-door meeting, originally scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Washington time, began about 30 minutes late as Trump spoke to reporters after signing executive orders.
It lasted roughly 80 minutes. Photos released after the meeting showed Sharif and Munir in conversation with Trump, who posed with his trademark thumbs-up. Ahead of the talks, images from the White House press pool showed the Pakistani leaders waiting on the Oval Office’s gold-trimmed furniture while Trump wrapped up an earlier engagement. Rubio greeted both leaders enthusiastically upon entering the room, according to reporters present.
Munir was also seen speaking with White House staff before the session began. The visit comes six years after former Prime Minister Imran Khan met Trump during his first term in July 2019.
Speaking to reporters beforehand, Trump praised Sharif and Munir as “great guys” and joked about the delay. “They are coming and they may be in this room right now,” he said.
