No PM in sight: Gen Munir’s solo summit with Trump
By The Taurean
OH, WHAT A COUNTRY!
June 20, 2025
Army Chief Gen Asim Munir’s meeting with President Trump at the White House, in the absence of any civilian leader, underscores the low value the US government attaches to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his administration
Field Marshal Gen Asim Munir’s solo visit to the White House this week marks a defining moment in Pakistan’s civil-military equation — and in how Washington views Islamabad. By receiving the army chief without the presence of the prime minister, foreign minister, or even a civilian adviser, President Donald Trump sent a clear message: when it comes to matters of war, peace, and regional stability, the United States prefers to talk directly to Pakistan’s military.
This is not a routine gesture. Although in the past, heads of Pakistan’s army — including Gen Ayub Khan and Gen Ziaul Haq — did hold one-to-one talks with world leaders, they did so in their capacity as Pakistan’s heads of state. Gen Munir is an army general who has not elevated himself to the position of military dictator, yet he has been granted the honour of an exclusive White House meeting with a sitting US president.
This reflects both the diminished stature of Pakistan’s civilian government and the entrenched perception that real authority resides in Rawalpindi, not Islamabad. Or perhaps there is some other explanation.
The general’s meeting with Trump follows the recent four-day war between India and Pakistan — a conflict in which Gen Munir was widely seen as the principal decision-maker on Pakistan’s side. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, by contrast, maintained a lower profile, though he did lead Pakistani delegations during international engagements surrounding the crisis.
In this context, Gen Munir’s White House appearance is more than just a diplomatic formality. It signals that, in Washington’s eyes, he is Pakistan’s point man — not just on defence but on diplomacy as well.
However, observers believe there is more to the meeting than post-war calibration. With tensions escalating daily in the Middle East due to the ongoing war between Iran and Israel, there is speculation that Gen Munir was quietly asked to play a role.
Pakistan’s military has longstanding links with Iranian officials and security networks and, in past crises, has acted as a discreet intermediary between Washington and Tehran. It is plausible that President Trump sought Munir’s cooperation — either to relay messages to Iran, apply quiet pressure on Islamabad, or gather regional intelligence.
The idea might even be to dissuade the Pakistani military chief from assisting Iran in any way. After all, Pakistan possesses a considerable stockpile of nuclear weapons.
Such a request would align with Trump’s transactional foreign policy style — high-level, personalised, and outside traditional diplomatic channels. It would also be consistent with Pakistan’s history of behind-the-scenes engagement in US-Iran dynamics, from the Cold War era to the post-9/11 period.
Still, the symbolism of the moment cannot be ignored. A Pakistani general in the White House, without his civilian superiors, reinforces the impression of a country run by uniformed men — even when elections are held and prime ministers appointed.
For Pakistan, this is both recognition and a warning. The military may command respect abroad, but the erosion of civilian credibility at home could carry long-term costs. For the United States, it is a gamble: short-term access to decision-makers at the expense of democratic optics.
One thing, however, is certain: Gen Asim Munir is no longer just Pakistan’s army chief. In the eyes of the White House, he is Pakistan’s voice. And yes, by now it is clear that the biggest beneficiary of the ongoing hostilities between Pakistan and India is undoubtedly Gen Munir.