White House Denies Reports of Trump Planning September Visit to Pakistan
- The White House denies any planned trip by President Trump to Pakistan.
- Pakistani news channels retract reports about Trump’s September visit.
- Reports were aired without verification, prompting apologies from the media.
- The U.S. and Pakistan have shown signs of improved relations recently.
- Trump has confirmed plans for a state visit to the UK in September.
White House Confirms No Planned Visit to Pakistan
On Thursday, the White House firmly denied swirling rumors about President Donald Trump planning a trip to Pakistan in September. The spokesperson noted that no such visit is slated for this time, dismissing the reports that surfaced earlier in the day. Several Pakistani news outlets, including Geo News and ARY News, had initially claimed that Trump would take his first trip to Pakistan, with plans to follow it up with a visit to India.
Pakistan Media Retracts Unverified Reports
However, these reports were soon retracted by the news channels, admitting they aired the information without proper verification. Geo News even issued an apology to its viewers, acknowledging their lapse in not confirming the details before broadcasting. In a similar vein, a senior figure at ARY News stated they had withdrawn their report after Pakistan’s Foreign Office clarified there was no knowledge of any such visit from their end, as reported by Reuters.
No Confirmation from Pakistani Authorities
In a bid to dispel the ongoing confusion, a White House official told Dawn that a trip to Pakistan has not been scheduled at this time. Furthermore, Shafqat Ali Khan, the spokesperson for Pakistan’s Foreign Office, reiterated to Dawn that they lack information on the rumored visit. Meanwhile, a U.S. embassy spokesperson in Islamabad stated, “We have nothing to announce,” and recommended that any travel details related to the president are best confirmed by the White House. Even though a visit isn’t happening now, it’s worth noting the improving relationship between the U.S. and Pakistan.
U.S.-Pakistan Relations Show Improvement
The diplomatic exchanges between the two nations have shown signs of improvement recently. Notably, Trump’s hosting of Pakistan’s Army Chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, at the White House last month marked a significant moment, as this had not occurred previously with a sitting president. After all, it has been nearly two decades since a U.S. president visited Pakistan. The last such event was in 2006 when President George W. Bush made the trip.
In closing, recent news about Trump planning a trip to Pakistan has been debunked by the White House, with no confirmation from Pakistani authorities either. The media outlets involved have retracted their claims following clarification from official sources. However, despite this lack of visit, diplomatic ties between the U.S. and Pakistan appear to be showing improvement, highlighted by recent high-level meetings.
