Trump to host Pak’s Asim Munir after he backed Nobel Peace Prize bid: White House

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday hosted Pakistan’s top military official, General Asim Munir, in a rare meeting at the White House. The engagement followed Munir’s call for Trump to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, crediting him with preventing a potential nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan in May, said White House spokesperson Anna Kelly.

The White House confirmed the meeting through spokesperson Anna Kelly, who said the visit came in light of Munir’s remarks hailing Trump’s role in halting what could have been a devastating escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

Just hours earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had held a 35-minute call to clarify that the ceasefire following the May 7–10 hostilities was the result of direct military dialogue between India and Pakistan – not US mediation. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that PM Modi made it clear that New Delhi does not accept third-party intervention in its bilateral issues with Islamabad.

Despite the Indian stance, Trump told reporters ahead of the meeting with Munir that his intervention was pivotal. Recalling the situation, he said both sides were “going at it” and that it was his outreach that helped bring tensions under control. He also praised both PM Modi and Munir for their roles, describing the outcome as a collaborative effort, but one influenced heavily by US diplomacy.

“I stopped a war between Pakistan [and India]. I love Pakistan,” he further said. Modi is a fantastic man. I spoke to him last night,” he said while speaking with the reporters.

He further reiterated his trade deal plans with India. “We are going to make a trade deal with Modi of India. But I stopped a war between Pakistan and India.”

Trump went on to praise Pakistan’s army chief Asif Munir and PM Modi and said that they were extremely influential.

“This man [Munir] was extremely influential in stopping war from Pakistani side, Modi from the other side. They were going at it and they are both nuclear countries…I stopped a war between two major nuclear nations but I don’t think I have a story written about it,” he said.

The military standoff erupted following the Pahalgam carnage on April 22 that left 26 people dead. India retaliated by striking nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK). However, Pakistan launched an unprovoked offensive and targeted several civilian areas as well as India’s military infrastructure.

All of Islamabad’s attacks were thwarted by India’s robust air defence mechanisms.

India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri later reiterated that the decision to de-escalate was reached through established military channels between the two nations, and that there had been no discussion of a trade deal or mediation with Trump during that period.

Tune In