White House official clarifies reports about Trump's Pakistan visit

A White House official confirmed Thursday that no visit to Pakistan by former U.S. President Donald Trump has been scheduled, refuting claims by several Pakistani media outlets that he would arrive in Islamabad in mid-September.

Earlier in the day, at least two Pakistani news channels reported that Trump was expected to visit Pakistan around September 18, sparking speculation about a broader South Asia tour that could include a rare presidential stop in Islamabad.

However, Trump is already confirmed to travel to the United Kingdom from September 17 to 19, where he is scheduled to meet members of the royal family and attend events at Buckingham Palace, according to an earlier palace statement.

Separately, Indian media have suggested that Trump might also visit New Delhi in September, though the White House has not confirmed any dates for a stop in India.

In response to a query regarding a possible Pakistan trip, the White House stated on background:

“A trip to Pakistan has not been scheduled at this time.”

Following this clarification, both TV channels retracted their earlier reports.

If such a visit were to happen, it would mark Trump’s first trip to Pakistan as president and the first visit by a U.S. president to the country since George W. Bush’s 2006 visit to Islamabad.

U.S.-Pakistan relations appeared to improve recently after Trump hosted Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, at the White House last month for an unprecedented lunch meeting.