Following Donald Trump’s inauguration as the 47th president of the United States on January 20, 2025, the global economy has been jolted by a flurry of seismic executive orders and policy plans put forward by his administration.
These included proposals to place tariffs on imports from the US, Canada, and Mexico, as well as to dismantle the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), one of the largest official aid agencies in the world. However, perhaps the Trump administration’s most appalling executive order was the brief ‘Colombia travel ban’ whereby visa restrictions were placed on Colombian nationals – even legal immigrants possessing the right to work in the United States for international organizations.
Two Colombian World Bank staff members, who had arrived at Dulles International Airport, US on January 26, had their G4 diplomatic visas revoked upon arrival and were put on planes going back to Colombia. This event was in response to Colombia’s initial refusal to accept military aircrafts carrying thousands of illegal immigrants into the country. The US’s travel ban and visa restrictions on Colombian nationals as well as warnings of steep tariffs and sanctions on the country eventually caused Colombian President Gustavo Petro to relent, allowing aircrafts to repatriate illegal immigrants back into the country.
Viewing the happenings in Washington, it is clear to see that Pakistan is not a top priority for the US’s 78-year-old Head of State.
Despite the cooling down of diplomatic tensions between the US and Colombia since the end of January, the bullying dealt with by the former is a dark precursor for the new administration’s hardline brand of diplomacy. It reminds me of the infamous Muslim ban executive order which was signed by the Trump administration in 2017, affecting thousands of travellers, separating families, disrupting careers, and fostering fear, uncertainty, and discrimination while reinforcing Islamophobic narratives.
The Trump administration’s commitment to mass deportations is well-documented. On the fourth day of his presidency, over a thousand individuals were removed or repatriated, with Border Czar Tom Homan vowing that deportations would continue to increase.
The Defense Department has pledged military aircraft to deport over five thousand detainees from San Diego and El Paso, Texas. This comes in the wake of President Trump’s declaration to launch “the largest deportation operation in history. The newly elected President appears to be true to his word as in his administration’s first week alone, Trump’s immigration policies have disrupted countless lives, with images of detained migrants and border raids circulating widely.
Viewing the happenings in Washington, it is clear to see that Pakistan is not a top priority for the US’s 78-year-old Head of State. Since being elected and especially in the run-up to the election, Trump has mentioned that his priorities would be to counter illegal migration and the rising influence of China, and keep a close watch on Gaza, Russia, Europe, and Ukraine.
Trump’s statements betray his yearning to focus solely on US interests and forego the feckless foreign policy which had been adopted by the Biden government. And so, the fact of the matter is that Pakistan must be very cautious in the next four years as far as relations with the US are concerned.
This is because firstly, Pakistan does not possess the economic clout needed to enjoy a strong and equal bilateral relationship with the US and secondly, its deep friendship with China will put it in an awkward position during the US’s expected trade war with the latter. This may cause China to demand public support from Pakistan, annoying Washington further.
Adding to Pakistan’s worries is the fact that the US is entertaining proposals to disengage from international institutions like the World Bank and the IMF. As the US is the largest contributor and shareholder in both institutions, a curtailing of funding could in turn affect Pakistan which relies heavily on IMF and World Bank loans.
With Pakistan being in a precarious strategic position due to the aforementioned reasons, the country must find ways to persuade the US to cooperate with it to counter-terrorism. This will be a herculean task as in Trump’s first presidential term, he had slashed $1.3 billion in funding to Pakistan and had viewed the country as being a “haven” for terrorists. In Pakistan’s pursuit to secure funding from the US, it will need to walk a tightrope, maintaining diplomatic ties with both the US and China, countries which have played a significant role in fulfilling Pakistan’s security and economic needs in the past.
The US’s recent diplomatic scuffle with Colombia over the repatriation of illegal immigrants has shed new light on the kind of administration which will be at the helm of global affairs in the next four years. This will be an administration which will doggedly safeguard its interests at the expense of other nations.
To protect its interests, Pakistan must present itself as a vital partner in combating terrorism and promoting regional stability. At the same time, it needs to strengthen domestic economic and political stability to reduce reliance on external aid. Navigating this challenging geopolitical landscape will be critical for Pakistan’s future.
The writer works at the World Bank in Washington D.C.