In August 2025, The Washington Post ran a front-page feature, “Inside Pakistan’s strikingly successful Washington charm offensive,” detailing how Pakistan transformed what once looked like a diplomatic liability into a remarkable success story in Washington. At the center of that effort was Javelin Advisors.
The article described a striking reversal. Only a few years ago, President Trump was calling Pakistan “deceitful” and praising India as America’s most reliable partner in South Asia. Yet within months of his return to the White House in 2024, the landscape had shifted. Pakistan secured one of the lowest U.S. tariff rates in Asia, at 19 percent, while India was hit with a punitive 50 percent tariff for buying Russian oil. Trump began boasting about plans to explore Pakistan’s oil reserves, while Islamabad offered new partnerships in cryptocurrency and rare minerals. Washington, for its part, rewarded Pakistan with closer counterterrorism cooperation and formally designated the Baluchistan Liberation Army as a foreign terrorist organization.
Such gains were not accidental. They were the product of careful planning, disciplined execution, and experienced guidance. Pakistan recognized early on that its outreach to Washington would require more than conventional diplomacy. To that end, it retained Javelin Advisors, the firm led by George A. Sorial, a longtime Trump Organization executive, and Keith Schiller, Trump’s former Director of Oval Office Operations and trusted confidant. With deep insight into the administration’s priorities and decision-making style, Javelin played a critical role in shaping Pakistan’s message so that it advanced U.S. interests while furthering Islamabad’s objectives.
As Sorial told The Post, “We are aligned with the Administration and are focused on promoting peace by advancing and protecting the best interests of the United States and its allies.” That alignment was evident in the way Pakistan’s proposals were framed. Energy exploration, counterterrorism, and economic cooperation were presented not as asks, but as opportunities that served American goals. Javelin helped ensure that Pakistan’s voice was heard not as a problem, but as a partner.
Pakistan’s leadership also took bold steps to reinforce the message. Army Chief Asim Munir secured a rare private lunch with Trump at the White House, an extraordinary gesture of access and influence. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi flew to Washington during inauguration week to meet with congressional leaders. Even business ventures linked to the Trump family, such as World Liberty Financial, found opportunities to engage with Pakistan’s emerging markets. But high-level meetings alone do not guarantee results. What mattered was how these opportunities were managed, sequenced, and aligned with broader strategy. That is precisely where Javelin Advisors excels—translating access into influence, and influence into measurable outcomes.
The results speak for themselves. Pakistan, once on the defensive, is now enjoying some of the most favorable treatment it has received from Washington in decades. The Washington Post called it a “charm offensive,” but in reality it was something far more deliberate: a case study in disciplined influence, executed with precision and guided by experienced advisors who understand both the substance of policy and the nuances of personality.
Of course, challenges remain. Pakistan’s ambitious promises on oil, rare minerals, and cryptocurrency may prove difficult to deliver, and Trump’s unpredictable style ensures that the current goodwill is not guaranteed to last. But as a demonstration of how quickly fortunes can be reshaped in Washington with the right mix of timing, access, and strategy, Pakistan’s breakthrough is undeniable.
For Javelin Advisors, the story underscores the value we bring to clients navigating complex political and regulatory environments. Whether for governments, corporations, or institutions, our approach is the same: align objectives with U.S. interests, open the right doors, and drive results with discipline and discretion. Pakistan’s turnaround in Washington is only the latest example of how that formula works in practice.