President Trump
Donald John TrumpGrassley: Dems 'withheld information' on new Kavanaugh allegation Health advocates decry funding transfer over migrant children Groups plan mass walkout in support of Kavanaugh accuser MORE's New Year's Day tweet blasting Pakistan prompted the country's National Security Council to hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday, according to CNN.
The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and attended by Pakistan's Foreign, Interior, and Defense ministers, as well as the chiefs of staff of the Pakistan airforce, army, and navy.
The summit comes as demonstrators took to the streets of Karachi to protest Trump and the U.S.
In Trump's first tweet of the new year, he said Pakistan has given the U.S. “nothing but lies & deceit.”
The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 1, 2018
Pakistan's defense ministry hit back at the president, tweeting the country has received "invective & mistrust" from the U.S.
Pak as anti-terror ally has given free to US: land & air communication, military bases & intel cooperation that decimated Al-Qaeda over last 16yrs, but they have given us nothing but invective & mistrust. They overlook cross-border safe havens of terrorists who murder Pakistanis.
— Pak Minister Defence (@PakMnstrDefence) January 1, 2018
Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said the country would respond to Trump soon.
We will respond to President Trump's tweet shortly inshallah...Will let the world know the truth..difference between facts & fiction..
— Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) January 1, 2018
The U.S. ambassador to Pakistan, David Hale, was called to meet with senior officials at the foreign ministry after Trump's tweet.
The White House announced on Monday the U.S. would withhold $225 million in aid to Pakistan over frustration with the country's handling of terror networks.
U.S. officials have long accused Pakistan of allowing terror networks to operate within the country's borders.
The Pentagon withheld $50 million in funding for Pakistan in July after Defense Secretary James Mattis informed Congress he would not certify that the country has done enough to fight the Haqqani network, a militant Islamic group.
