Trump’s praise for Pakistan army chief draws Congress criticism, Centre silent

The Congress on Wednesday expressed serious concern over what it described as growing bonhomie between the United States and Pakistan, after US President Donald Trump referred to Pakistan Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir as a “highly respected general”. The party said the Modi government’s silence on the issue was “disconcerting”.

In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said there appeared to be no end to President Trump’s fascination with Munir, whose “inflammatory and communally vicious remarks”, he alleged, had formed the immediate backdrop to the terror attack in Pahalgam on 22 April 2025.

Ramesh said Trump had hosted Munir to what he described as an unprecedented lunch at the White House on 18 June 2025. He added that the US president met the Pakistan field marshal again on 1 October 2025, when Munir reportedly presented him with a box of rare earths.

Listing subsequent interactions, Ramesh said Trump, while in Egypt on 13 October 2025, referred to Munir as “my favourite Field Marshal”, and on 29 October praised him as a “great fighter”.

On 22 December, Trump again lauded Munir, calling him a “highly respected general”, the Congress leader said.

“This bonhomie between USA and Pakistan is a very concerning development for India,” Ramesh said, alleging that it amounted to a “virtual clean chit” to Pakistan and to Munir, despite what he described as evidence of their support and enablement of the Pahalgam terror attack.

Calling it a matter of national concern, Ramesh said the Modi government’s silence on the issue was troubling. He contrasted the current situation with the period following the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, when, he said, Pakistan had been “thoroughly exposed and discredited” internationally.

There was no immediate response from the government to the Congress leader’s remarks.