‘I would intervene but … ‘: Trump says he gets along ‘very well’ with Pakistan amid ‘open war’ with Afghanistan

President Donald Trump walks to speak with reporters before departing on Marine One from the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

After US President Donald Trump praised Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif amid Islamabad’s ongoing conflict with the Taliban, the United States on Saturday expressed its support for what it described as Pakistan’s “right to defend itself against Taliban attacks.”Also Read: Pakistan declares ‘open war’ on Afghanistan after clashes“Well, I would (intervene), but I get along with Pakistan, as you know, very well. Very, very well. You have a great prime minister, you have a great general there, you have a great leader. I think two of the people that I really respect a lot. I think Pakistan is doing terrifically well,” Trump told reporters at the White House.

US under secretary of state Allison Hooker later held a call with Pakistan’s foreign secretary Amna Baloch, during which she affirmed Washington’s backing for Islamabad.“Spoke today with Pakistan Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch to express condolences for lives lost in the recent conflict between Pakistan and the Taliban. We continue to monitor the situation closely and expressed support for Pakistan’s right to defend itself against Taliban attacks,” Allison Hooker wrote on X.

Allison Hooker X post

However, her brief statement stopped short of urging an end to the fighting. The United Kingdom earlier called for “de-escalation,” China urged a ceasefire, and Iran offered to mediate.Also Read: Amidst Afghanistan-Pakistan escalation, India keeps a close watchEarlier this week, Pakistan launched airstrikes on major cities in Afghanistan in what marked its most significant military action there since the Taliban returned to power in 2021 following the US withdrawal. Subsequent Taliban retaliation triggered further Pakistani strikes, with defence minister Khawaja Asif declaring that Pakistan was now in an “open war” with Afghanistan.The Afghanistan conflict has strained ties between Washington and Islamabad. Then US President Joe Biden kept Pakistan at arm’s length, citing Islamabad’s past backing of the Taliban during the period when the United States supported a pro-Western government in Kabul.Biden’s successor, Donald Trump, has taken a different approach, strengthening relations with Pakistan. Islamabad has publicly praised Trump for what it described as his mediation efforts during last year’s military conflict with India and suggested he deserved the Nobel Peace Prize. New Delhi has repeatedly denied any US role, maintaining that the ceasefire resulted from direct bilateral talks between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.