Michael Rubin, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and a former Pentagon adviser, delivered a blistering critique of both the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Trump administration, following the IMF’s decision to release $1 billion in bailout funds to Pakistan. In a pointed op-ed published in the Washington Examiner, Rubin lambasted the move, calling Pakistan a "terror-addled, pro-China regime", and accused the IMF of undermining U.S. interests and showing disrespect to former President Donald Trump.
Rubin argued that the timing of the IMF's decision was especially egregious, coming shortly after Pakistan-based terrorists executed attacks in India, reportedly targeting non-Muslims. He highlighted how Pakistani military officers not only refused to disavow the terrorists, but attended their funerals in uniform and subsequently engaged in aggression against India, deepening regional instability.
Calling Pakistan one of the “world’s most corrupt countries,” Rubin claimed that this funding not only supported a rogue regime, but also indirectly bailed out China, due to Pakistan’s $40 billion debt to Beijing under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). “The IMF funding,” Rubin said, “is also effectively bailing out the People’s Republic of China.”
He urged the Trump administration to reassess America’s financial commitments to international organizations like the IMF, especially in light of the $150+ billion the U.S. contributes. He pointed to Trump’s February 4 executive order, which required a full review of U.S. involvement in global bodies, and urged the administration to hold the IMF accountable.
In a separate, equally scathing interview with ANI, Rubin turned his attention to Operation Sindoor, India’s recent 4-day military operation in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack. He praised India’s swift and decisive response, saying it exposed Pakistan’s weakness and shattered its global narrative.
Rubin didn’t mince words about Pakistan’s performance in the conflict. “Pakistan has started every single war with India and convinced itself it has won,” he said. “But this time, their military was disorganised, and they were left pleading for a ceasefire like a scared dog with its tail between its legs.”
He concluded that no amount of spin could change the fact that Pakistan had been thoroughly defeated—militarily, diplomatically, and morally.
Rubin’s commentary reflects mounting frustration among U.S. strategic thinkers over continued Western financial lifelines to Islamabad, especially in the face of terror links and growing Chinese influence in South Asia. His remarks also underscore growing Western alignment with India in counter-terror and regional security frameworks.
