Pakistan on Monday tweeted a response to President Trump’s assertion that the nation has “given us nothing but lies & deceit” while providing, “safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan.”

“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,” Pakistan’s defense minister wrote on Twitter.

It’s unclear what prompted Trump to make his Monday morning comment, but it did come just days after the New York Times reported that the U.S. may delay a $225 million aid payment to the nation.

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14 PHOTOS Pakistan suicide bombing See Gallery Pakistan suicide bombing TOPSHOT - EDITORS NOTE: Graphic content / Pakistani Christians assist an injured worshipper after suicide bombers attacked a Methodist Church in Quetta on December 17, 2017. At least eight people were killed and 15 wounded when two suicide bombers attacked a church in Pakistan during a service on December 17, just over a week before Christmas, police said. / AFP PHOTO / A. CALVIN (Photo credit should read A. CALVIN/AFP/Getty Images) QUETTA, PAKISTAN - DECEMBER 17: Pakistan security forces take measures after a suicide attack at Bethel Memorial Methodist Church in Quetta, Pakistan on December 17, 2017. At least eight people including a woman were killed in blast and 42 others injured. (Photo by Mazhar Chandio/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) Pakistani Christians are evacuated by security personnel from a Methodist church after a suicide bomber attack during a Sunday service in Quetta on December 17, 2017. At least five people were killed and 15 wounded when two suicide bombers attacked a church in Pakistan during a service on December 17, just over a week before Christmas, police said. The attack took place at the Methodist Church in the restive southwestern city of Quetta in Balochistan province. / AFP PHOTO / BANARAS KHAN (Photo credit should read BANARAS KHAN/AFP/Getty Images) EDITORS NOTE: Graphic content / Pakistani Christians carry an injured worshipper after suicide bombers attacked a Methodist Church in Quetta on December 17, 2017. At least eight people were killed and 15 wounded when two suicide bombers attacked a church in Pakistan during a service on December 17, just over a week before Christmas, police said. / AFP PHOTO / A. CALVIN (Photo credit should read A. CALVIN/AFP/Getty Images) QUETTA, PAKISTAN - DECEMBER 17: [EDITORS NOTE: Image depicts graphic content] A medical staff treats a man injured in a suicide attack at Bethel Memorial Methodist Church in Quetta, Pakistan on December 17, 2017. At least eight people including a woman were killed in blast and 44 others injured. (Photo by Mazhar Chandio/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) Pakistani Christians protest after a suicide bombers attacked a Methodist church during a Sunday service in Quetta on December 17, 2017. At least eight people were killed and 30 wounded when two suicide bombers attacked a church in Pakistan during a service on December 17, just over a week before Christmas, police said. / AFP PHOTO / ARIF ALI (Photo credit should read ARIF ALI/AFP/Getty Images) QUETTA, PAKISTAN - DECEMBER 17: A medical staff treats a woman, injured in a suicide attack at Bethel Memorial Methodist Church, as her relatives try to calm her down in Quetta, Pakistan on December 17, 2017. At least eight people including a woman were killed in blast and 44 others injured. (Photo by Mazhar Chandio/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) Pakistani security personnel take position after suicide bombers attacked a Methodist church during a Sunday service in Quetta on December 17, 2017. At least five people were killed and 15 wounded when two suicide bombers attacked a church in Pakistan during a service on December 17, just over a week before Christmas, police said. The attack took place at the Methodist Church in the restive southwestern city of Quetta in Balochistan province. / AFP PHOTO / BANARAS KHAN (Photo credit should read BANARAS KHAN/AFP/Getty Images) TOPSHOT - Pakistani security personnel rescue an injured woman after suicide bombers attacked a Methodist church during a Sunday service in Quetta on December 17 2017. At least five people were killed and 15 wounded when two suicide bombers attacked a church in Pakistan during a service on December 17, just over a week before Christmas, police said. The attack took place at the Methodist Church in the restive southwestern city of Quetta in Balochistan province. / AFP PHOTO / BANARAS KHAN (Photo credit should read BANARAS KHAN/AFP/Getty Images) EDITORS NOTE: Graphic content / Pakistani security personnel and volunteers shift the body of a victim after suicide bombers attacked a Methodist Church in Quetta on December 17, 2017. At least eight people were killed and 15 wounded when two suicide bombers attacked a church in Pakistan during a service on December 17, just over a week before Christmas, police said. / AFP PHOTO / A. CALVIN (Photo credit should read A. CALVIN/AFP/Getty Images) TOPSHOT - EDITORS NOTE: Graphic content / Pakistani security personnel carry the body of a victim after suicide bombers attacked a Methodist Church in Quetta on December 17, 2017. At least eight people were killed and 15 wounded when two suicide bombers attacked a church in Pakistan during a service on December 17, just over a week before Christmas, police said. / AFP PHOTO / A. CALVIN (Photo credit should read A. CALVIN/AFP/Getty Images) Relatives shift an injured victim after suicide bombers attacked a Methodist church during a Sunday service in Quetta on December 17 2017. At least eight people were killed and 30 wounded when two suicide bombers attacked a church in Pakistan during a service on December 17, just over a week before Christmas, police said. / AFP PHOTO / BANARAS KHAN (Photo credit should read BANARAS KHAN/AFP/Getty Images) QUETTA, PAKISTAN - DECEMBER 17: Dead bodies of a bomb attack victims are taken to a hospital with ambulances after a suicide attack at Bethel Memorial Methodist Church in Quetta, Pakistan on December 17, 2017. At least eight people including a woman were killed in blast and 42 others injured. (Photo by Mazhar Chandio/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) Pakistani Christians offer prayers during a mass on the last Sunday before Christmas at the Cathedral in Lahore on December 17, 2017. At least eight people were killed and 30 wounded when two suicide bombers attacked a church in the Pakistani city of Quetta, during a service on December 17, just over a week before Christmas, police said. / AFP PHOTO / ARIF ALI (Photo credit should read ARIF ALI/AFP/Getty Images) Up Next See Gallery Discover More Like This HIDE CAPTION SHOW CAPTION of SEE ALL BACK TO SLIDE

According to the Times, which cited U.S. officials, the Trump administration has been considering withholding the money, “as a show of dissatisfaction with Pakistan’s broader intransigence toward confronting the terrorist networks that operate there.”

The president has expressed his frustration with Pakistan in the past.

“We have been paying Pakistan billions and billions of dollars at the same time they are housing the very terrorists that we are fighting. But that will have to change, and that will change immediately,” Trump said in August. “No partnership can survive a country’s harboring of militants and terrorists who target U.S. servicemembers and officials. It is time for Pakistan to demonstrate its commitment to civilization, order, and to peace.”

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President Trump wishes happy new year to ‘enemies' and 'haters'</s>ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Defence Khurram Dastgir Monday said that Pakistan as an ally in war against terrorism had given free access to United States to its land and air communication.

Responding to the Tweet statement of US President Donald J. Trump, he Tweeted that Pakistan had also given free access to US to the military basis and international cooperation that decimated Al-Qaeda over last sixteen years.

Unfortunately, he said that they had given us nothing but invective and mistrust adding they also overlooked

 cross-border safe havens of terrorists who killed Pakistanis. – APP</s>WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The U.S. President Donald Trump has accused Pakistan of lying and deceiving the United States while receiving billions of dollars in foreign aid.



?In his first tweet of the year, Trump said, '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!'



Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif said, 'We have already told the US that we will not do more, so Trump's 'no more' does not hold any importance, 'Pakistan is ready to publicly provide every detail of the US aid that it has received.'?



Pakistan's Foreign Minister tweeted, '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.'



US Ambassador to Pakistan David Hale was summoned to the foreign office on Monday to hear a protest over Mr Trump's tweet.



Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan tweeted that the US had given Pakistan 'nothing but invective & mistrust'.



Separately, Trump tweeted, ' Iran is failing at every level despite the terrible deal made with them by the Obama Administration. The great Iranian people have been repressed for many years. They are hungry for food & for freedom. Along with human rights, the wealth of Iran is being looted. TIME FOR CHANGE!'



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX</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 hv gvn us nothing but invective&mistrust.They overlook cross-border safe havens of terrorists who murder Pakistanis: Pak Def Min</s>ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir has said that Pakistan, as anti-terror ally, has given free to US land and air communication, military bases and international cooperation that decimated Al-Qaeda over last 16 years.

In a statement on Monday, he said that US has given us nothing but invective and mistrust.

He said they overlook cross-border safe havens of terrorists who murder Pakistanis.</s>has hit back at for accusing of lying and cheating in 'war on terrorism', saying that U.S. has given it "nothing but invective and mistrust".

on Monday accused the U.S. of overlooking "safe havens of terrorists who murder Pakistanis" and said as anti-terror ally provided the U.S. with "land and air communication, military bases and intel cooperation that decimated over last 16 years".

"But they have given us nothing but invective & mistrust. They overlook cross-border safe havens of terrorists who murder Pakistanis," Dastgir-Khan said in a tweet.

Earlier, Trump, once again, castigated for providing safe havens to terrorists.

Trump, in a strongly-worded tweet, yesterday said the had been "foolishly" giving aid to for 15 years, but in return, it has only received "lies and deceit".

"The has foolishly given 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!" Trump said on the

The tweet has drawn huge criticism in

The and the government criticised Trump's statement and said the U.S. was blaming its failures in on

Later in the day, also summoned over Trump's accusations and lodged its protest.</s>Donald Trump has had a turbulent relationship with Pakistan for years. Right after becoming the US president he spoke to the then Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif calling him a “terrific guy” who was doing an “amazing job.”.

"Please convey to the Pakistani people that they are amazing and all Pakistanis I have known are exceptional people," Trump further added, according to a readout released by the Pakistan government.

That stance changed some six months later when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Washington in June. After that trip both India and the US pointed fingers at Pakistan saying that the latter is not doing enough to combat terrorism.

In August Trump revealed his new South Asia strategy further blaming Pakistan for “giving safe haven to agents of chaos, violence, and terror.”

"We can no longer be silent about Pakistan's safe havens for terrorist organizations, the Taliban, and other groups that pose a threat to the region and beyond. Pakistan has much to gain from partnering with our effort in Afghanistan. It has much to lose by continuing to harbor criminals and terrorists," First Post reported Trump as saying.

According to the Pakistani newspaper The Nation, the country’s Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif informed a Senate committee that the government had to take such a decision as a protest against Trump's comments against the country.

But the situation kept escalating and on New Year's Day, Trump took to Twitter to lash out at Pakistan once again saying, "The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than $33 billion in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies and deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more."

Washington backed up Trump’s words and suspended $225 million in military aid to Pakistan, according to the First Post.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif responded to Trump's tweet in a stern manner saying, “The United States should hold its own people accountable for its failures in Afghanistan.”

He further said that the US is frustrated over its defeat in Afghanistan and it should perhaps take the path of dialogue instead of using military might.

The Minister of Defense, Khurram Dastagir, also expressed his opinion saying that Pakistan had extended unprecedented cooperation to the US in defeating al-Qaeda in Afghanistan besides fighting the war against terrorism.

He said that it is the terrorists from Afghanistan who have repeatedly targeted Pakistani armed forces and civilians. Khurram Dastagir made it clear to the US president that Afghanistan's war would not be fought from the soil of Pakistan, Dawn news reported.

Talking about the military aid claims made by the US president, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif said, “The claim by Trump regarding the funds, if we account for it, they include reimbursements too for the services rendered by Pakistan.”

He said that Pakistan’s land, roads, rail and, other different kinds of services were used for which the country was reimbursed.

“A proper audit took place for the reimbursements,” the foreign minister said.

If the US carried out further drone strikes in Pakistan’s settled areas, the minister warned that, “The country will defend its sovereignty.”

Pakistani analyst Zahid Hussain said that Trump’s statements come as no surprise. "We have been seeing for a while that Trump's attitude is getting stricter, so this statement is no surprise. Pakistan has other options,” Hussain was reported by Dawn news as saying.

The analyst further said that Pakistan can sustain itself without US aid just as it had done before, during the 1990s, when it faced all sorts of sanctions from the US.

Hussain stressed that the US needs to have a better policy on Afghanistan and should focus on what to do in that country instead of blaming Pakistan.</s>Washington: The US has suspended its $255 million military aid to Pakistan for now, the White House has confirmed, saying the fate of such assistance will depend on Islamabad’s response to terrorism on its soil.

The confirmation comes on the same day when US President Donald Trump accused Pakistan of giving nothing to the US but “lies and deceit” and providing “safe haven” to terrorists in return for $33 billion aid over the last 15 years.

“The United States does not plan to spend the USD 255 million in FY 2016 in Foreign Military Financing for Pakistan at this time,” a senior administration official told PTI, on the condition of anonymity.

“The president has made clear the US expects Pakistan to take decisive action against terrorists and militants on its soil, and that Pakistan’s actions in support of the South Asia Strategy will ultimately determine the trajectory of our relationship, including future security assistance,” he said.

The US administration continues to review Pakistan’s level of cooperation, the official said. Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump, in his first tweet of the New Year, blasted the Pakistan leadership by saying that they have given America “nothing but lies and deceit” despite having received more than $33 billion in the last 15 years.

Also Read: Donald Trump accuses Pakistan of ‘lying and deceit’, threatens to cut US aid

“They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!” Trump said, clearly indicating that Pakistan would no longer receive any security aid from the US till the time it sees a change in behaviour from them in fight against terrorism.

Within hours, the Pakistani defence ministry fired back, alleging that it has got “nothing but invective and mistrust” for all the actions it took in support of America’s war against terrorism.

“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,” the Pakistan defence ministry said in a tweet.

Trump who returned to the White House from Mar-a-Lago in Florida where he spent his Christmas and New Year vacation did not respond to questions from reporters on “what is your plan on Pakistan?”

Several US lawmakers came out in support of Trump adopting a tough approach on Pakistan.

“I support the decision today by President Trump to end aid to Pakistan,” Republican Congressman Markwayne Mullin from Oklahoma said. “You’re either with the US, or against us. We will always help our friends, but for too long, the US has propped up countries that do not share our goal to end terrorism. I’m proud to see our president take bold steps to put America first,” Mullin said.

“I couldn’t agree more,” tweeted Senator Rand Paul from Kentucky. “I’ve been fighting to end aid to Pakistan for years and will again lead the charge in the Senate,” said Paul.

Samantha Vinograd, CNN’s national security analyst spoke in favour of Trump’s move. “As a way to make it clear to the Pakistanis that enough is enough, if President Trump actually follows through, it could be an effective move,” she said in an opinion piece published on the CNN website.

“It isn’t the only step by any means, but it could be the right one,” she said. “Great start. Why give millions to countries who would harbor our enemies?” Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr tweeted on Monday. PTI
Pakistan's Defence Minister accuses the U.S. of giving Pakistan "nothing but invective & mistrust" after receiving "land & air communication, military bases & intel cooperation that decimated Al-Qaeda over last 16yrs".