Dealing with Trump: Let’s learn from Pakistan

How Pakistan GLAZED its way into Trump’s favor

Pakistan’s sudden turnaround with the Trump administration didn’t happen by chance.

💰Just weeks before the White House announced unusually favorable tariff cuts for Pakistan — and steep hikes for India — Pakistan launched a multimillion-dollar lobbying blitz in Washington.

In April and May, Pakistan spent at least THREE TIMES MORE than India on US lobbying, hiring six firms tied to Trump insiders, including former business partners, advisers & his ex-bodyguard.

💸 The nearly $5 million in contracts promised what Pakistan wanted most: direct access to Trump and a push to “reset” diplomatic, military and commercial ties.

On April 2, Trump announced a 29% tariff on Pakistani goods.

💸 Within days, Pakistan had hired two additional lobbying teams, including Orchid Advisors — which subcontracted with Squire Patton Boggs, a firm employing Trump’s former economic adviser Everett Eissenstat and former defense secretary Mark Esper.

Four months later, Trump slashed Pakistan’s tariff rate to 19% — while raising India’s to 50%.

🙊 After border tensions with India, Islamabad lavished Trump with praise, credited him with ending the crisis, and even moved to nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize — a gesture India refused.

💼 Pakistan also pitched a $500 million mineral extraction deal and opened its markets to US agricultural products, further sweetening the relationship.

😐 By autumn, Trump was calling Pakistan’s army chief his “favorite field marshal” and describing Pakistan’s support for his Gaza peace plan as “incredible.”

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Of course, the bad news for Pakistan is that it will not last long. If once one starts to pay the grift, it will never end.