PM Shehbaz Meets Trump at White House, Discusses Security, Counterterrorism, and Regional Peace
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held his first official meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Friday, focusing on regional security, counterterrorism cooperation, and peace initiatives.
The premier was accompanied by Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, while President Trump was joined by Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
During talks, PM Shehbaz thanked Trump for acknowledging Pakistan’s role in counterterrorism and called for deeper intelligence and security collaboration. He praised Trump’s “bold and decisive leadership” and credited him with helping avert a “major catastrophe in South Asia” by mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan earlier this year.
On Middle East tensions, the prime minister lauded Trump’s efforts to end the war in Gaza, particularly his engagement with Muslim leaders in New York to push for peace in Gaza and the West Bank.
The two leaders also discussed trade and investment opportunities. PM Shehbaz invited US companies to invest in Pakistan’s agriculture, IT, energy, and mineral sectors, and welcomed the recent tariff agreement as a step toward strengthening bilateral ties.
The meeting, which lasted over an hour, was closed to the press but photos released later showed both leaders in cordial discussions, with Trump flashing his trademark thumbs-up during a group photo.
PM Shehbaz also extended an invitation to Trump to visit Pakistan. The engagement comes alongside the premier’s participation in the 80th UN General Assembly session in New York.
US officials, meanwhile, noted that relations with Pakistan are “gradually warming up” in Trump’s second term, emphasizing Washington’s independent partnership with Islamabad despite strains in US-India ties.
