WASHINGTON D.C.—A prominent Republican lawmaker, US Representative Bill Huizenga, has publicly aligned the Trump administration with India’s claim that the Pakistan-based terror group, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and its proxy, The Resistance Front (TRF), were responsible for the deadly Pahalgam terror attack.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!During a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee hearing on South and Central Asia, Huizenga emphasized the critical nature of the US-India partnership. He declared that the Trump administration promptly designated TRF—which he directly named as responsible for the “heinous Pahalgam terror attack”—as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) in July of this year.
The Pahalgam Incident and US Designation
The Pahalgam attack on April 22 resulted in 26 fatalities, marking the deadliest terror incident in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks. While TRF initially claimed responsibility before retracting the statement, Pakistan has consistently denied any links and claims LeT is defunct.
The official US designation came in July, when Secretary of State Marco Rubio formally labelled TRF as an FTO and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). India welcomed this move as a significant step toward deepening counterterrorism cooperation. In the wake of the attack, India launched Operation Sindoor in May, striking deep inside Pakistan to destroy nine terror camps and target 11 military sites.
US Policy: A Study in Contradiction
The lawmaker’s firm stance supporting India’s terror claims highlights a noticeable contradiction in US foreign policy. The article notes that while Washington is actively calling out these terror networks, it is simultaneously strengthening ties with Pakistan—the very country India accuses of harboring them.
This perceived hypocrisy has been further emphasized by US trade and defense decisions:
- Defense Funding: Huizenga’s remarks coincided with the Trump administration’s approval of a $686 million proposal to upgrade Pakistan’s F-16 fighter jets.
- Trade Disparities: The recent warming of US-Pakistan ties (following a downturn in US-India relations) has led to favorable economic treatment for Pakistan, including a 19% tariff compared to the significantly higher 50% levy imposed on India.
Focus on US-India Trade and Future Relations
Beyond security, Rep. Huizenga stressed the importance of economic ties, stating, “The US-India relationship is no longer just important. It is a defining relationship of the 21st century.” He argued that a free Indo-Pacific, resilient supply chains, and global democracy depend on the strength of this bilateral partnership.
While a new US-India trade deal has been under negotiation for months without conclusion, a recent statement from US Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer offered optimism, noting that the US had received its “best-ever offer” from India.
