The White House has firmly denied reports that Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir was invited to attend the US Army’s 250th anniversary celebration scheduled for June 14, 2025, in Washington, D.C. The clarification comes amid heightened attention on the event, which coincides with US President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday.
Earlier this week, India Today reported that Munir had confirmed his attendance and would be engaging with senior US State Department and Pentagon officials. However, the White House issued a statement asserting that “no foreign military leaders were invited,” effectively debunking those claims and prompting scrutiny over the source of the misinformation.
The controversy unfolds against the backdrop of Munir’s controversial leadership in Pakistan. Elevated to Field Marshal in May 2025 after a military clash with India, Munir’s extended tenure—prolonged by two years in November 2024—has faced sharp criticism from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. PTI leaders have denounced the extension as an unconstitutional power consolidation by the military, sparking domestic unrest.
Fuelled by reports of his alleged US visit, PTI supporters have announced a protest outside the Pakistani Embassy in Washington, D.C., on June 14, calling for participants to display Pakistani and PTI flags. Despite the White House’s clarification, the demonstration appears poised to proceed, serving as an unusual international display of dissent against Pakistan’s military leadership.
The situation has drawn international commentary. Michael Rubin, a former Pentagon official and senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, compared Munir to Osama bin Laden—a provocative statement linked to the April 2025 Pahalgam terrorist attack. His remarks have intensified calls among some US policymakers to designate Pakistan as a state sponsor of terrorism, potentially escalating tensions between the two countries.
Neither the Pakistani government nor the US State Department has issued further comments. As the anniversary event nears, the episode highlights the fragile dynamics of US-Pakistan relations and the growing political turbulence within Pakistan’s civil-military establishment.
