Donald Trump slams Pakistan for receiving nothing but “lies and deceit"

Aaron O’Leary – Media Bias Fact Check

President Trump kicked off the new year by slamming Pakistan on Twitter for what he calls “lies and deceit” due to offering “safe haven to terrorists”.

“The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools,”

“They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!” The President said in his first tweet of the New year.

The New York Times reported last week that Trump was considering whether or not to withhold an already delayed $255 million in aid, aid which was delayed by the Trump administration in August.

US-Pakistan has a longstanding although often troubled relationship, marred by accusations by the U.S of Pakistan harboring wanted Terrorists including former Al-Qaeda leaders and 9/11 mastermind Osama Bin Laden who was famously shot and killed by Seal Team 6 during a raid on a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

This isn’t the first time Trump has taken issue with Pakistan, in August the President declared “Pakistan often gives safe haven to agents of chaos, violence, and terror.”

In response to Trump’s comments, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, Khawaja M. Asif, wrote on Twitter “We will respond to President Trump’s tweet shortly inshallah…Will let the world know the truth..difference between facts & fiction.”

Pakistan has countered claims of its soft stance on Terrorism by insisting it has launched Military operations in order to remove militants from its territory.

Although already troubled, Pakistani-American relations have deteriorated under Trump, it’s not likely that relations will improve anytime in the near future.