Trump’s Embrace Of Pakistan: Opportunity Or A Risk To Democracy? – OpEd
The mood in Pakistan’s media has been euphoric. Television anchors and social media feeds were full of excitement after US President Donald Trump sat down for nearly 90 minutes with Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the White House. For a country that has spent years watching the world pass it by, the images from Washington felt like proof that Pakistan mattered again.
The sense of relief is real. During Joe Biden’s presidency, the US president never once called then–Prime Minister Imran Khan. Washington’s strategic gaze shifted towards India through the QUAD, and Pakistan looked increasingly irrelevant. Against that backdrop, Trump’s warmth feels like a homecoming. And few in Pakistan seemed troubled that the star of the moment in Washington was not the elected prime minister but the army chief.
But beneath the celebration lies the harder question: what does Trump actually want from Pakistan? America does not give out validation for free.
What Trump is after
Trump’s praise for Pakistan’s “air kills” during the recent clash with India tells us what he values: a military that is willing to take risks. He appears to see Munir and his generals as useful partners, ready to do heavy lifting where American hands are tied.
Two fronts stand out
The Middle East. Trump is eager to revive the Abraham Accords, his signature initiative to normalise Israel’s place in the region. The Gaza war in 2023 had derailed Saudi-Israeli talks, but Trump now senses another opening. The US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities this summer weakened Tehran’s confidence, and Trump wants a new security order in which Arab states, Israel, and even Muslim militaries play a role. Pakistan’s new defence pact with Saudi Arabia suddenly makes it relevant. In Trump’s mind, Pakistan could help give cover to a fragile peace, even, perhaps, by contributing troops.
Afghanistan. Trump has also floated the idea of regaining control of Bagram airbase, without putting large numbers of American soldiers back on the ground. Here again, Munir’s frustrations with the Taliban, who protect the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), line up with Washington’s concerns. For Trump, this overlap looks like an opportunity: Pakistan gets backing in its fight against militants, and the US regains a strategic foothold.
Why Pakistan plays along
The risks are obvious. Gaza is a quagmire. Afghanistan has already drained Pakistan for decades. Both could bring sectarian tensions, ethnic fault lines, and new blowback at home.
And yet, Pakistan’s leaders feel they cannot afford to say no. After years of isolation, a struggling economy, and India’s tightening embrace of Washington, this looks like a rare chance to sit at the main table again. When you’ve been shut out of the room for so long, even a risky invitation can feel impossible to turn down.
There are also domestic calculations. Every photo-op with Trump boosts Munir’s standing. For the military, Washington’s embrace is both an international endorsement and a shield against criticism at home. Civilian leaders may grumble, but they know who holds the real power.
What comes next
The real test is not whether Pakistan re-engages Washington; that decision has already been made, but how wisely it plays its hand. Saying yes to Trump without conditions could leave Pakistan overexposed in Gaza, mired again in Afghanistan, alienated from Beijing, and once more trapped under military rule at home. None of these outcomes is foregone, but all are risks.
If Pakistan is “back at the table,” then it must be clear about why it is there. The choice is between being a participant in shaping regional stability or simply a tool in someone else’s design. That means setting limits in the Middle East, defining its own strategy in Afghanistan, and insisting that foreign policy is not the exclusive domain of generals.
History offers a caution. Each time Pakistan has leaned on Washington for validation, it has strengthened authoritarianism at home. Trump’s embrace may feel like vindication after years of irrelevance, but it could also harden the military’s grip.
The challenge is to seize the opportunity without sleepwalking into a darker future. Jubilation may be justified. But it must be tempered by realism and by the determination that Pakistan’s return to the table is not bought at the cost of its democracy.
- This article was published at The Friday Times
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