Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January 2025 redrafted the rules of international diplomacy. World capitals quickly realised that dealing with Trump’s second presidency required not just policy alignment but a carefully crafted psychological strategy — the use of flattery, personal validation, and dramatic public endorsement. Countries that understood this early gained an edge; those that resisted the new grammar of engagement found themselves side-lined.

No nation in South Asia exploited this shift more effectively than Pakistan, which turned personal praise, military symbolism, lobbying networks, and strategic bargaining into a diplomatic offensive that repositioned it favourably in Washington. At the same time, India — traditionally seen as America’s most reliable partner in the region — fumbled the expectations of a leader who values personal loyalty and grand gestures above technocratic caution.

Global competition to flatter Trump — and why Pakistan understood it best;
Across the world, a wide spectrum of nations moved rapidly to reinterpret diplomacy through the prism of Trump’s ego. Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince , Mohammed bin Salman publicly hailed Trump as “the only leader capable of restoring global stability.” The UAE offered special investment windows linked to Trump’s economic agenda. Israel repeatedly framed him as the “most decisive American president for Israeli security.” Even countries such as South Korea, Japan, Hungary, and the Philippines sharpened their praise-heavy engagement style, concluding that personal warmth with Trump translated into policy concessions. In this competitive environment, Pakistan did not just participate — it outperformed. Islamabad recognised that Trump, more than any other recent American president, responds to leaders who project strength, exude admiration, and frame their cooperation as essential to his global legacy.

Why Pakistan’s flattery worked: the........

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