In his first tweet in the New Year, United States President Donald Trump said on Monday that his country had “foolishly” given Pakistan $33 billion (Rs 2.10 lakh crore) in aid over the last 15 years. In return, he claimed, Pakistan had given the US nothing but “lies and deceit”.

He added that US operations in Afghanistan were being affected because Islamabad provided “safe haven” to terrorists.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif said on Twitter: “We will respond to President Trump’s tweet shortly inshallah...Will let the world know the truth...difference between facts and fiction.”

This is not the first time the US president has condemned Islamabad. Trump had first criticised Pakistan in August 2017 for providing shelter to terrorists. “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,” he had said in a televised address on August 22. “We can no longer be silent about Pakistan’s safe havens for terrorist organisations, the Taliban, and other groups that pose a threat.”

In July 2017, the United States had blocked $350 million (Rs 2,23,433 lakh) in aid to Pakistan for not taking enough action against the Haqqani network. In August, the Trump administration told the US Congress that it was putting on hold $255 million (Rs 1,62,787 lakh) in aid due to Pakistan as part of $1.1 billion sanctioned in 2016.