Pakistan's Trump-era Washington strategy expected to fall flat as Democrats prepare to take over US Congress: Report
New Delhi, Nov 15
Pakistan's close engagement with US President Donald Trump's administration could face fresh scrutiny in Washington after Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress in the November 3 elections, raising questions over deals involving companies linked to the President's family and aides, a report said.
A report by Andrew Wilson for 'One World Outlook' said that Islamabad's strategy of building diplomatic access through Trump's inner circle could become a political liability as Congressional Democrats prepare to examine the administration's business dealings and private-sector relationships.
According to the report, senior Democrats have signalled an aggressive oversight agenda. House Oversight Committee's senior-most Democrat Robert Garcia has warned Republicans to "lawyer up", while Senator Ron Wyden has indicated that subpoenas could follow.
The article identifies the Trump family's business interests and companies seeking influence with the White House as likely areas of scrutiny.
Pakistan, it says, has built much of its recent Washington engagement around the Trump administration, with Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir emerging as a key channel. Islamabad reportedly offered cooperation in cryptocurrency, critical minerals and counterterrorism as part of its transactional diplomatic approach.
The article points to three major areas of potential scrutiny: World Liberty Financial (WLF), the Roosevelt Hotel redevelopment proposal and drone manufacturer Powerus.
WLF, a cryptocurrency venture associated with the Trump family, signed a letter of intent with the Pakistan Crypto Council in April 2025.
The article notes that Bilal bin Saqib, who led the Council, later became a WLF adviser and assumed senior roles in Pakistan's government cryptocurrency framework.
It also refers to a January 2026 memorandum between Pakistan's Finance Ministry and SC Financial Technologies, a WLF sister company, to explore the use of the USD1 stablecoin for cross-border payments. However, Pakistani officials reportedly confirmed by July that no pilot had been launched, no licence issued, and no transaction involving USD1 had taken place.
The proposed redevelopment of the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan, owned by Pakistan International Airlines, is another arrangement highlighted in the article.
A non-binding memorandum was signed with the US General Services Administration in February 2026, but it contained no specified financial terms.
The third case concerns Powerus, which secured a limited order from Pakistan's Defence Ministry and signed a preliminary agreement with the Army during a September 2026 visit. The company is merging with Aureus Greenway Holdings, in which Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump reportedly have an indirect stake. A spokesman for Trump Jr. has described him as a passive investor who was unaware of the Pakistan agreement beforehand, while the White House has denied any conflict of interest.
The article also discusses a $500 million minerals memorandum involving Pakistan's Frontier Works Organisation and US-based Strategic Metals, while noting that no Trump family stake has been reported in that arrangement.
Wilson said that the central risk for Islamabad is not necessarily direct investigation by Congress, but scrutiny of the American companies and intermediaries involved in these arrangements. Their correspondence and contractual records could bring Pakistani officials and the circumstances surrounding the agreements into focus, although the article describes this as an assessment of how Congressional oversight could operate rather than a confirmed investigative plan.
The analysis also highlights the vulnerability of memorandums of understanding, many of which are non-binding and dependent on political relationships.
Former Pakistani Ambassador to Washington, Husain Haqqani, is quoted as warning that some arrangements involving Trump's associates and relatives may not survive scrutiny.
At the same time, the article suggests that Pakistan's counterterrorism cooperation and its diplomatic role in efforts involving Iran could help prevent a wider breakdown in bilateral ties.
However, it cautions that the country's limited engagement with Congressional Democrats could weaken its position if political scrutiny intensifies.
The article concludes that a complete rupture in US-Pakistan relations is unlikely, but projects that Trump-linked business arrangements could face delays, greater scrutiny and possible setbacks.
It recommends that Islamabad move away from personality-driven diplomacy, strengthen institutional engagement and build relationships across Capitol Hill.
— IANS
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