White House Rejects Claims of Pakistan Army Chief's Invite to US Parade, Says No Foreign Leaders Included

Washington: In a sharp clarification, the White House said that reports claiming Pakistan’s Army Chief General Asim Munir was invited to a grand military parade in Washington were completely false. A US official firmly said that no foreign military chiefs had been invited to the event, dismissing social media posts and political allegations that suggested otherwise.

The military parade was organised in the US capital to mark the founding day of the United States Army, which was formally established on June 14, 1775, as a force to fight British rule. The parade this year also happened to coincide with the 79th birthday of former President Donald Trump, who presided over the ceremony and took the salute.

Trump Leads Massive Show of Military Power on Army's Founding Day

The Washington parade was billed as one of the largest military shows ever held in the United States, featuring thousands of American troops, heavy tanks, helicopters, fighter jets and parachute formations. Though the US does not traditionally hold military parades like India’s Republic Day or France’s Bastille Day, the event was widely seen as a grand attempt to project American military strength and boost Trump’s public image ahead of upcoming elections.

The last time such a military celebration was seen in Washington was in 1991, when the National Victory Celebration was held after the US-led coalition forces drove Saddam Hussein’s army out of Kuwait in the First Gulf War. That event was called Operation Desert Storm.

Back home, the story created a political stir after Congress leader Jairam Ramesh and others from the opposition accused the Indian government of diplomatic failure. They had taken the reports of Asim Munir's alleged invitation as a setback for India’s international standing.

The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction), through an editorial in its party mouthpiece 'Saamana', claimed that this was not only a diplomatic embarrassment but also a deliberate move to weaken "deliberate attempt to weaken India's fight". The party alleged that the ruling BJP and its allies were blind in their admiration for Trump and failed to raise timely objections over the issue.

Pakistan’s Attempt at One-upmanship Falls Flat

The false reports had briefly caused a celebration in some circles in Pakistan, where it was projected as a major diplomatic win over India. However, the official clarification from the White House has now put an end to those claims.

Sources said that Pakistan had earlier tried to show its influence in Washington when former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari visited the US. However, during that visit, he could not manage to meet any top American official above the rank of Under Secretary, highlighting the limitations of Pakistan’s diplomatic reach despite repeated attempts.