Washington: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir eventually met U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House after waiting for about an hour on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
Addressing reporters beforehand, the 79-year-old Trump said, “We have a great leader coming, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, and the Field Marshal… we’re late.” Despite the remarks, the White House did not highlight the engagement on its social media feeds; instead, it posted the president’s interaction with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, where Trump praised the long-standing partnership and pledged to “get a lot done” on trade.
Islamabad presented a different picture. The government’s official X account said Sharif received a “red-carpet welcome” on arrival at Andrews Air Base, sharing images of a senior U.S. Air Force official greeting the delegation before the motorcade departed under tight security.
Photographs carried by AFP, however, showed the Pakistani premier waiting while Trump completed the signing of executive orders ahead of their Oval Office meeting.
The contrast between Washington’s muted acknowledgment and Pakistan’s celebratory narrative has drawn attention to the diplomatic optics surrounding the visit.
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