Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will meet US President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday, with the meeting scheduled for 04:30 pm EST (01:30 am PST Friday). While no official agenda has been disclosed, the timing of the talks is significant, coming only weeks after Washington and Islamabad announced a trade deal that signaled a thaw in relations.
The event will be closed to the press, meaning journalists will not be allowed access and the public will have to rely on official statements. Even the composition of Shehbaz Sharif’s delegation has not been shared, adding to the intrigue surrounding the talks.
US-Pakistan relations have seen a notable improvement under Trump, who has taken a tougher line with New Delhi over issues ranging from visa hurdles for Indians to tariff disputes. Washington has also bristled at India’s response to his repeated claims of brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan earlier this year. By contrast, Islamabad has found more room to engage, with the two countries finalizing a trade agreement on July 31, under which the US imposed a 19 percent tariff rate. Trump has yet to reach a similar deal with India, a gap analysts believe is prompting New Delhi to recalibrate its ties with China.
The meeting also follows Trump’s earlier welcome of Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir at the White House, the first time a US president hosted Pakistan’s top general without senior civilian leaders. The move highlighted Washington’s recognition of Pakistan’s military as a central player in regional dynamics. Speaking this week, a senior US State Department official said counterterrorism, economic cooperation, and trade remain key areas of discussion. “The president remains focused on advancing US interests in the region, and that includes direct engagement with Pakistan and its leaders,” the official noted.
At the same time, the official acknowledged ongoing “frustrations” with India, while insisting that the broader US-India partnership remained strong and essential to Washington’s long-term strategy in Asia. Preparations for a Quad summit with India, Japan, and Australia are also underway and may take place either later this year or early next year.
Shehbaz’s meeting with Trump also comes against the backdrop of the war in Gaza. Earlier this week, the Pakistani prime minister attended a session where Trump met with leaders of several Muslim-majority nations on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Washington says peace proposals were discussed during that gathering. Pakistan, meanwhile, has backed Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in easing tensions with India but continues to strongly condemn Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, aligning itself with Qatar, Iran, and other Muslim states.
Though the White House has kept Thursday’s agenda under wraps, the meeting is expected to touch on trade, counterterrorism, regional security, and Pakistan’s role in South Asia, marking another chapter in Washington’s evolving relations with Islamabad.
