Former Pentagon Official Criticizes U.S. Policy Toward Pakistan, Calls for ActionCurated by: Navbharat Times | 6 Dec 2025

Washington: Michael Rubin, a former Pentagon official, has strongly criticized the U.S. Trump administration’s approach toward Pakistan, calling it strategically unjustified. Speaking to ANI, Rubin stated that there is no rationale for maintaining friendly ties with Islamabad and suggested that the country should be officially designated as a state sponsor of terrorism.

Rubin expressed particular disapproval of Pakistan’s newly appointed Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), Field Marshal Asim Munir, visiting the White House in June. He argued that instead of being welcomed with honors, Munir should have faced arrest for his role in promoting terrorism.

Pakistan Should Be Declared a Terror Sponsor
Rubin said, “There is no strategic rationale for U.S. friendship with Pakistan. It should be officially declared a sponsor of terrorism. If Asim Munir comes to the U.S., he should be arrested rather than honored.” He went further, urging the U.S. to publicly apologize to India for its actions over the past year.

U.S. Must Apologize to India
Acknowledging that President Trump is generally reluctant to apologize, Rubin emphasized that the interests of the United States are far more important than the ego of any single individual. “We need discreet diplomacy behind the scenes. The way the U.S. treated India last year requires a vocal apology. Trump may not prefer it, but America’s global democratic interests outweigh the pride of one person,” Rubin said.

Context: Trump Hosts Pakistan Army Chief
Earlier this year, in June, President Trump hosted Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir at the White House. Munir became the first Pakistani army chief to meet a U.S. president while holding no political office. During this meeting, Munir reportedly advocated for Trump to receive the Nobel Prize. Subsequently, Pakistan officially nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Rubin’s remarks have reignited debates over U.S.-Pakistan relations, questioning the strategic benefits of continued military and diplomatic cooperation with Islamabad in the context of regional security and counterterrorism.