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First Post
20-06-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Who is Sajid Tarar, the man who facilitated the Donald Trump-Asim Munir lunch?
US President Donald Trump hosted Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir for a lunch meeting at the White House on Wednesday (June 18). This was the first time a US president had welcomed the powerful head of Pakistan's military. The meeting was reportedly arranged by Sajid Tarar, a Pakistani-American businessman based in the Baltimore-Washington area, who founded the group 'American Muslims for Trump' read more He is a Pakistani-American businessman living in the Baltimore-Washington area. Reuters/File Photo US President Donald Trump welcomed Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir for a lunch meeting at the White House on Wednesday. This was the first time a US president had hosted the influential head of Pakistan's army, who is seen as playing a major role in shaping the country's national security decisions. The meeting was arranged by Sajid Tarar, a Pakistani-American businessman, according to reports. Read Israel-Iran conflict day 8 live updates here. It came at a tense moment in Washington, with Trump expected to decide in the next two weeks whether the US will join the Israel-Iran conflict. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD So, who is Sajid Tarar? And what happened during the Trump-Munir meeting? Let's take a look at these details: Who is Sajid Tarar? He is a Pakistani-American businessman living in the Baltimore-Washington area. He was a regular presence at the Republican National Conventions and is known for his strong links to the Make America Great Again (Maga) movement. Tarar also founded the group 'American Muslims for Trump'. His closeness to Donald Trump's circle was visible when his son got a role at the US State Department during Trump's first term. The meeting was reportedly arranged by Sajid Tarar. Reuters/File Photo Outside politics, Tarar heads the nonprofit Centre for Social Change in Baltimore, Maryland. He has served on finance teams for state governors and has held senior positions in several business and investment groups. He came into the spotlight recently for reportedly arranging the lunch meeting between Trump and Asim Munir. Beyond his work with Pakistani-Americans, Tarar has also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and backed the idea of peaceful, cooperative ties between India and Pakistan, a rare stand in a divided diaspora. He moved to the US in the 1990s, became a citizen, and has since been a prominent Republican voice among Muslim Americans. ALSO READ | What is Iran's Arak heavy water reactor 'created to build nukes' that Israel struck? Donald Trump-Asim Munir luncheon meeting During the lunch meeting on Wednesday, Trump praised Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir for his 'role' in helping prevent further escalation between India and Pakistan. Trump said, 'Reason I had him here was I wanted to thank him for not going into the war and ending it…' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The meeting, held in the Cabinet Room of the White House, lasted over an hour. Pakistan's ISI chief, Lt Gen Asim Malik, also attended alongside Munir. India and Pakistan agreed to end hostilities on May 10 after four days of heavy cross-border missile and drone attacks. The meeting came at a time when tensions were rising in West Asia, with the US weighing its role in the growing Israel-Iran conflict. Pakistan has condemned Israel's airstrikes on Iran, calling them a breach of international law and a threat to regional peace. 'This is for us a very serious issue what is happening in our brotherly country of Iran. It imperils the entire regional security structures, it impacts us deeply,' Shafqat Ali Khan, spokesman for Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on Thursday. Smoke rises following an Israeli attack in Tehran. WANA/Reuters Meanwhile, Israel and Iran exchanged fire again on Thursday, marking the seventh day of the ongoing conflict. Iranian missiles struck a major hospital in southern Israel and hit residential areas in Tel Aviv, injuring 240 people and causing serious damage. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz held Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei responsible, saying the Israeli military 'has been instructed and knows that in order to achieve all of its goals, this man absolutely should not continue to exist.' Israel also carried out airstrikes on Iran's Arak heavy water reactor in a fresh attack on its nuclear infrastructure. Iranian state media reported that there was 'no radiation danger whatsoever' and said the site had been cleared ahead of the strike. The White House later said Trump will decide within two weeks whether the US will join Israel's campaign against Iran's military and nuclear targets. Trump, it said, still believes there is a chance to resolve the issue through diplomacy. With inputs from agencies
News18
19-06-2025
- Politics
- News18
Trump Angling For A Nobel Peace Prize? The Story Behind That Lunch With Pakistan's Asim Munir
Last Updated: Donald Trump hosted Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir for lunch, sparking buzz about his Nobel ambitions and raising questions about motives and diplomacy US President Donald Trump hosted Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir for lunch at the White House on Wednesday — a rare and unexpected diplomatic move that's sparked speculation about Trump's motivations. At the centre of it is Munir's recent call for Trump to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, praising him for allegedly preventing a nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly confirmed that Munir's comments were a key reason for the invitation — adding fuel to claims that Trump's latest foreign policy gesture is less about diplomacy and more about legacy. Trump's U-Turn Sparks Controversy Trump's hospitality towards Munir marks a sharp shift from his first term in office, when he publicly accused Pakistan of harbouring terrorists and being deceitful in its dealings with the US. His sudden declaration of 'love" for Pakistan, combined with this high-profile lunch, has raised eyebrows in Washington and beyond. Security analyst Derek Grossman highlighted that Trump had even attempted to secretly invite Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the White House on the same day — possibly overlapping with Munir's visit — a move he called reckless. 'Pretty wild that Trump tried to sneakily invite Modi to the White House today, presumably when Asim Munir would also be present for lunch," Grossman posted on X. 'He doesn't understand the context and history of India-Pakistan tensions at all, and just wants the photo op to win a Nobel Peace Prize later." Foreign policy analysts believe there's more to the meeting than just Trump's Nobel ambitions. With tensions rising between Israel and Iran over Tehran's nuclear programme, speculation is mounting about a potential military strike if diplomacy fails. In such a scenario, Pakistan's strategic location and military infrastructure could prove critical to US interests. Pakistan has historically served as a launchpad for US operations in the region. Analysts also argue that both Washington and Tel Aviv are keen on keeping Iran isolated in the Muslim world — and ensuring it doesn't gain Pakistan's backing could be part of that larger strategy. Who Arranged the Trump-Munir Meeting? The lunch was facilitated by Sajid Tarar, a Pakistani-American businessman and vocal Trump supporter who also founded the 'American Muslims for Trump' group. Tarar hosted a separate community reception for Munir at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington. At the event, Munir praised the Pakistani diaspora as 'true ambassadors" of the country, citing their remittances, investments, and professional achievements. Why This Lunch Was So Unusual While previous Pakistani military leaders — including Ayub Khan, Zia-ul-Haq, and Pervez Musharraf — have met US presidents, those encounters took place after they seized political control of Pakistan. Munir, in contrast, remains a serving army chief. Experts say it is highly unusual, though not entirely unprecedented, for a US president to host a foreign army chief for lunch at the White House. The gesture is being viewed as significant — both symbolically and strategically. India Rejects Trump's Peace Claim India has flatly denied Trump 's claim that he helped avert a war between New Delhi and Islamabad. Prime Minister Narendra Modi clarified in a 35-minute phone call that the ceasefire following a four-day military standoff in May was the result of direct talks between the Indian and Pakistani military leadership — with no third-party mediation. India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri reinforced the government's stance: 'India has never accepted and will never accept third-party mediation in its bilateral issues with Pakistan." The confrontation in early May stemmed from a deadly terrorist attack on April 22 in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor, striking nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Pakistan retaliated with missile strikes, but India's air defence systems neutralised the attacks. The conflict lasted from May 7 to 10 and ended following military-level talks between the two countries. Is It All Just for the Nobel Prize? Many foreign policy observers argue that Trump's meeting with Munir was not just a diplomatic play — but a calculated step in his pursuit of the Nobel Peace Prize. They suggest Trump may be trying to craft a legacy-defining narrative by casting himself as a peacemaker in South Asia, despite a limited understanding of the region's complex history. Whether this lunch leads to genuine progress or merely serves as a campaign-era photo opportunity remains to be seen. As the Nobel Committee outlines, the Peace Prize is awarded for meaningful contributions to arms control and disarmament, peace negotiations, democracy and human rights, and broader efforts to build a more peaceful world. Whether Trump's latest overture qualifies on any of those fronts is still up for debate. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from geopolitics to diplomacy and global trends. Stay informed with the latest world news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published:
