Trump’s Oval Office Meet with Pakistan’s PM Sharif Marks Diplomatic Shift

Washington, September 26 (TNA) US President Donald Trump met Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir at the White House on Thursday in a significant sign of warming relations between the United States and Pakistan.

The closed-door session, which lasted nearly an hour and 20 minutes, marked the first formal bilateral meeting between Trump and Sharif. Before the meeting, President Trump publicly praised both Pakistani leaders, referring to them as “great leaders” and highlighting the importance of their partnership.

Prime Minister Sharif, attending the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), made a short trip from New York to Washington, DC, for this discussion. The talks reportedly focused on trade, security cooperation, and furthering economic ties. The bilateral meeting follows recent US-Pakistan collaborations, including a new trade deal and strategic investments in Pakistan’s critical minerals and oil reserves sectors.

The improvement in relations comes after Islamabad credited President Trump’s diplomatic intervention during the recent India-Pakistan conflict and even nominated him for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in promoting regional peace.

The day’s events were not without lighter moments—President Trump kept the Pakistani leaders waiting for over 30 minutes as he completed other engagements, joking with reporters that his guests “might already be somewhere in the Oval Office”. Pakistan’s army chief had met the US president previously in June, but this was Shehbaz Sharif’s first White House visit as Prime Minister.

The meeting occurred amid heightened tensions in the region and shifting power dynamics, especially after the recent ceasefire between India and Pakistan, with Islamabad publicly supporting Trump’s intermediary role. The improved bilateral tone is also seen as part of a broader US pivot in South Asia and signals increased cooperation between Washington and Islamabad on economic and security matters.