US President Donald Trump wore a fighter jet pin on his suit as he met Pakistan ’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Pakistan army chief Asim Munir in the Oval Office on Thursday, a gesture that sparked speculation in Islamabad that it was recognition of Pakistan’s baseless claims of downing of India's aircraft during the recent conflict.
However, the pin had nothing to do with Trump's meeting with Munir and Sharif. Trump had worn it earlier in the day for his meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, where he pressed for the sale of F-16s and F-35s to Ankara.
During Trump’s first term, the US removed Turkey, a Nato ally, from its flagship F-35 fighter jet program after Turkey purchased S-400 air defense system from Russia. US officials worried that Turkey's use of Russia's S-400 surface-to-air missile system could be used to gather data on the capabilities of the F-35 and that the information could end up in Russian hands.
Trump started his two-hour meeting with Erdogan by offering hope that a resolution to the matter could be found during the leaders' talks.
"He needs certain things, and we need certain things, and we’re going to come to a conclusion. You’ll know by the end of the day," Trump said. The president added to Erdogan, "And I think you’ll be successful with buying the things" you would "like to buy."
Meanwhile, the White House did not issue any statement or readout from the 80-minute meeting with Sharif and Munir, but photographs released by the Pakistani government showed the two leaders seated with Trump in the Oval Office and later posing with him as he flashed his trademark thumbs-up. In another photo, US secretary of state Marco Rubio was seen laughing with the Pakistani delegation, while Trump appeared to display a mock-up of the White House.
Earlier in the day, Trump had boasted about US military manufacturing strength, saying foreign leaders and generals were lining up to visit American factories to buy equipment, though he did not mention Pakistan by name.
However, the pin had nothing to do with Trump's meeting with Munir and Sharif. Trump had worn it earlier in the day for his meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, where he pressed for the sale of F-16s and F-35s to Ankara.
During Trump’s first term, the US removed Turkey, a Nato ally, from its flagship F-35 fighter jet program after Turkey purchased S-400 air defense system from Russia. US officials worried that Turkey's use of Russia's S-400 surface-to-air missile system could be used to gather data on the capabilities of the F-35 and that the information could end up in Russian hands.
Trump started his two-hour meeting with Erdogan by offering hope that a resolution to the matter could be found during the leaders' talks.
"He needs certain things, and we need certain things, and we’re going to come to a conclusion. You’ll know by the end of the day," Trump said. The president added to Erdogan, "And I think you’ll be successful with buying the things" you would "like to buy."
Meanwhile, the White House did not issue any statement or readout from the 80-minute meeting with Sharif and Munir, but photographs released by the Pakistani government showed the two leaders seated with Trump in the Oval Office and later posing with him as he flashed his trademark thumbs-up. In another photo, US secretary of state Marco Rubio was seen laughing with the Pakistani delegation, while Trump appeared to display a mock-up of the White House.
Earlier in the day, Trump had boasted about US military manufacturing strength, saying foreign leaders and generals were lining up to visit American factories to buy equipment, though he did not mention Pakistan by name.
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