New Delhi: US Republican and president-elect Donald Trump’s special envoy Richard Grenell is on a mission to release Imran Khan. After repeatedly tweeting for Khan’s release, Trump’s special envoy has now turned his attention to another hot-button issue: the use of US aid money by Pakistan.
Grenell’s latest appeal came after Pakistan’s defence minister Khawaja Asif accused Western actors, including Grenell and British politician Zac Goldsmith, of orchestrating what he termed “Operation Goldsmith”—a reference to Khan’s ex-wife Jemima Goldsmith.
Asif alleged that this campaign to free Khan was being fueled by foreign interests, including Israel, and was aimed at undermining Pakistan’s sovereignty, particularly given its status as a nuclear power. The minister’s remarks, which labelled Khan an “Israeli asset,” soon led to a war of words.
British politician Goldsmith, who is also the brother of Khan’s ex-wife, Jemima, swiftly responded to Asif’s accusations. In a sharply worded post, Goldsmith dismissed the allegations, mocking Asif for his conspiracy-laden rhetoric.
“This is the actual Defence Minister of Pakistan… a grown man,” Goldsmith said.
He also clarified that he had no involvement in funding political activities in Pakistan, instead praising Khan for his integrity.
In his tweet, Grenell expressed his frustration over the “reckless” remarks made by Asif, accusing him of fostering dangerous rhetoric.
Grenell went on to demand that US agencies, such as USAID, which manage large amounts of American taxpayer dollars in aid to Pakistan, conduct a review of Pakistan’s use of US funds.
He even suggested that the Pakistan Embassy in Washington be held accountable for the “death threats” he had allegedly received on social media, which according to him was a result of the defence minister’s allegations.
It is now a showdown between Asif and Grenell, with both actively tweeting against each other. They are even retweeting civilian accounts that are speaking in support of either of them.
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US-Pakistan relations, USAID & Imran Khan
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is the primary institution for US civilian foreign aid and development assistance. With a budget exceeding $50 billion, USAID is one of the largest foreign aid agencies worldwide, accounting for more than half of the US foreign assistance—making it the largest in absolute dollar terms.
Since 1948, Pakistan has been one of the largest recipients of US aid, having received over £30 billion in direct assistance.
The relationship between Pakistan and the US during the tenure of Imran Khan and his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), was marked by tension and limited engagement. The relationship seemed unlikely to improve under his leadership, especially given his vocal opposition to US influence in the region.
However, Khan did enjoy considerable support among the Pakistani-American community, which viewed him as a figure capable of challenging the status quo. Despite this, Khan struggled to leverage the influence of the diaspora for more effective lobbying in Washington.
The Trump administration further exacerbated the relationship in 2018 by halting security aid to Pakistan. The US accused Islamabad of not sufficiently addressing terrorist safe havens within its borders.
While this aid was resumed in 2022, the broader US-Pakistan relationship remained under strain, particularly following Pakistan’s perceived support for the Taliban after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. Joe Biden also notably refrained from engaging with Khan during his term, reflecting dissatisfaction with Pakistan’s foreign policy alignment.
However, Grenell has claimed in an interview that Trump and Khan shared a strong personal and professional relationship during Khan’s tenure as Prime Minister, asserting that their bond was one of mutual respect and alignment on various issues.
Echoing his earlier calls for Khan’s freedom, Grenell criticised the Biden administration for failing to act on the matter. He drew parallels between Khan’s situation and that of Trump, pointing to similar allegations of politically motivated charges.
“He’s currently in prison, a lot of the same allegations just like President Trump, where the ruling party [in Pakistan] put him in prison and created some kind of corruption allegations, false allegations,” Grenell remarked, framing Khan’s imprisonment as a reflection of broader political persecution.
(Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)