U.S. Vice President JD Vance named his wife, Usha Vance, and Pakistan's Field Marshal Asim Munir as his two favorite people from India and Pakistan [1].
The comments occurred during the first round of U.S.–Iran negotiations on Sunday at the Burgenstock luxury resort in Switzerland [1, 3]. The remark highlights the personal rapport Vance is cultivating with key South Asian military and political leadership during high-stakes international diplomacy.
Vance made the comment while reflecting on a previous visit to Islamabad. He noted that Field Marshal Munir, along with the Pakistani prime minister, had welcomed the U.S. delegation during their time in the capital [1, 2].
"I will say that since Field Marshal Munir welcomed us with the Prime Minister in Islamabad, I have joked that I have two very, very important people," Vance said [1].
The vice president identified only two [1] individuals in this specific category of favorites. He explicitly paired his wife, who is described as Indian, with the Pakistani military leader [1, 3].
"My wife, Asim Munir – two very important people," Vance said [3].
The discussions in Switzerland took place overlooking Lake Lucerne, where the U.S. and Iranian delegations met for their initial round of talks [1, 3]. While the primary focus of the trip remained the negotiations with Iran, the vice president's public acknowledgement of Munir signals a specific diplomatic emphasis on the U.S.-Pakistan security relationship.
“"My wife, Asim Munir – two very important people."”
By publicly praising Field Marshal Asim Munir, the U.S. Vice President is utilizing informal diplomacy to strengthen ties with Pakistan's military establishment. Linking a high-ranking foreign military official with his own spouse in a joke serves to humanize the diplomatic process and signal a high level of trust and personal affinity toward the Pakistani leadership.
