US says Trump keen to resolve Kashmir issue

Pakistan's recent diplomatic outreach in Washington appears to be making headway, as the US Department of State on Wednesday reaffirmed President Donald Trump's stated willingness to engage on the Kashmir dispute.

During a White House press briefing, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce responded to a query regarding Trump's potential course of action following his earlier offer to mediate on Kashmir.

"So, while I can't speak to his plans, the world knows his nature, and I can't speak to any details of what he might have in that regard," she said, noting that further comment would come from the White House.

Bruce stressed the president's track record of initiating unexpected diplomatic dialogues, expressing optimism that progress on Kashmir was not beyond reach. "[Trump] has been the only one to bring certain people to the table to have conversations that nobody thought was possible," she said.

"It shouldn't surprise anyone that he'd want to manage something like that," she added.

The remarks coincided with a recent high-level Pakistani delegation visit to Washington, led by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

Responding to a related question, Bruce confirmed that the delegation met with senior State Department officials, including Under Secretary for Political Affairs Allison Hooker.

According to Bruce, the discussions centred on bilateral ties, with emphasis on counterterrorism cooperation. "We also know that Deputy Secretary Landau met with the Indian parliamentary delegation last week, and he also reaffirmed the United States strong support of India in the fight against terrorism," she noted.

Pakistan has launched a comprehensive diplomatic campaign in the United States to present its viewpoint on the recent escalation with India and to counter New Delhi's expanding lobbying footprint in Washington. The campaign includes outreach to US lawmakers, think tanks, and the media.

Foreign Minister Bilawal, who led a nine-member team, visited New York and Washington from May 31 to June 6 before heading to London and Brussels. During the US leg of the trip, he held meetings with over a dozen members of Congress, including both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

He also engaged with senior officials at the State Department, where he outlined Islamabad's concerns over India's aggressive posture, threats to the Indus Waters Treaty and incendiary rhetoric from the Modi-led government.

Meanwhile, President Trump, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office last week, doubled down on his claim of playing a key role in easing tensions between India and Pakistan during earlier flare-ups. "They don't give me credit for anything, but nobody else could have stopped it," he said.