Former US national security advisor (NSA) Jake Sullivan has accused President Donald Trump of intentionally undermining the relationship with India to boost his family’s business deals in Pakistan.
In a recent interview with MeidasTouch Network's YouTube channel, the Biden-era official termed the current administration's move to sabotage ties with India as “one of the most underreported aspects of Trump’s foreign policy”.
“For decades, on a bipartisan basis, the US has worked to strengthen its relationship with India, the world’s largest democracy -- a country with which we should be aligned on technology, talent, economics, and in countering China’s strategic drift,” Sullivan said, adding that “significant progress had been made on that front”.
“Now, largely due to Pakistan’s willingness to engage in business deals with the Trump family, Trump has sidelined the India relationship. This is a major strategic setback because a strong India-US partnership serves our core interests," he added further.
His comments have come in the backdrop of the rising tensions between India and the US due to imposition of 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods - which include a 25 per cent penalty for buying Russian oil.
Pakistan deal with links to Trump
US-Pakistan relations had stagnated through the Trump’s first term and under Joe Biden as both administrations prioritised deepening ties with India to counter China.
The current picture, however, looks different. Ties between US and Pakistan have improved considerably during Trump's second stint in the office and the bigger picture seems to suggest something deeper than just diplomatic ties.
Earlier in April, the Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC) and World Liberty Financial (WLF) officially signed a series of agreements aimed at promoting investment and innovation in the crypto industry. This came just days after the deadly Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu & Kashmir that claimed 26 lives.
WLF, a decentralised finance platform launched in 2024, is backed by Donald Trump to push cryptocurrency use and expand blockchain adoption in US. Interestingly, Trump and his associates – sons Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr as well as his son-in-law Jared Kushner - together hold a 60 per cent stake in the venture.
As reported by The New York Times, World Liberty Financial underscores a growing convergence between Trump’s political influence and his personal business interests.
“Mr Trump’s return to the White House has opened lucrative new pathways for him to cash in on his power, whether through his social media company or new overseas real estate deals,” The New York Times report added.
Binance founder Changpeng Zhao – even as the company was dogged by allegations of money laundering and terror financing for years – is the “strategic advisor” to Pakistan’s Crypto Council. The global trading platform faced intense scrutiny over allegations of facilitating money laundering to groups like Hamas, Al Qaeda, and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
With backing from World Liberty and Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, the Pakistan Crypto Council is pushing to make the country the region’s leading crypto hub, challenging the UAE’s dominance. For India, however, the initiative poses risks as cryptocurrencies could emerge as a fresh channel for funding anti-India networks.
During the meeting between Trump and Pakistan army chief Asim Munir, Pakistan's military said in a statement that the two discussed trade, economic development, and cryptocurrency.
"President Trump expressed keen interest in forging a mutually beneficial trade partnership with Pakistan based on long-term strategic convergence and shared interests," the army said.
Trump, in July, announced a trade agreement with Pakistan while warning of 25 per cent tariffs on Indian goods. He further pledged American assistance in tapping Pakistan’s “massive oil reserves.”
“We have just concluded a deal with the country of Pakistan, whereby Pakistan and the United States will work together on developing their massive oil reserves,” Trump wrote on social media.
“We are in the process of choosing the oil company that will lead this partnership.”
US-Pakistan ties
Since President Trump came to power in January, there has been a renewed interest in Pakistan. After the military conflict that broke out between India and Pakistan in May, Pakistani Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir has visted the United States twice in just a few months.
Trump hosted Pakistan’s army chief for the first time in June this year – marking the first time a US president had hosted the head of the country’s Army.
Later in a statement, Pakistan’s military said that the two discussed trade, economic development, and cryptocurrency during the two-hour meeting.
In August, Munir visited the United States again where he reportedly held high-level interactions with some senior political and military leadership. He held talks with US Joint Chiefs of Staff General John Dan Caine and invited him to visit Pakistan, Bloomberg reported citing a statement from Pakistan’s military wing.
Moreover, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also praised President Trump for brokering the ceasefire with India, even as New Delhi has outrightly denied the claim and stated that the understanding was reached between the two countries without any foreign involvement.
Trump also mentioned he loves Pakistan as he repeated his claim of “stopping” the India- Pak conflict -- which he claimed would have gone the nuclear way.
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