Hours after President Donald Trump’s stinging attack on Pakistan’s “lies and deceit” over harbouring terrorists for many years, the United States has effectively blocked for now its proposed $255 million military aid to Islamabad.
“The United States does not plan to spend the $255 million in FY 2016 Foreign Military Financing for Pakistan at this time,” a National Security Council official told media outlets on Monday in what turned out to be the Trump administration’s first pronouncement of for the new year.
Tying any future security assistance to hard counter-terrorism measures by Islamabad, the official said, “The President has made clear that the United States expects Pakistan to take decisive action against terrorists and militants on its soil.”
“Pakistan’s actions in support of the South Asia Strategy will ultimately determine the trajectory of our relationship, including future security assistance,” the official stressed.
Trump, in what was his first tweet of 2018, declared earlier on Monday that the United States will no longer put up with its “lies & deceit”.