IN the intricate landscape of U.S.–Pakistan relations, long overshadowed by memories of “viceroy” envoys from the Cold War and post-9/11 eras, Natalie A. Baker’s tenure as Chargé d’Affaires ad interim since January 2025 signals a refreshing shift.

With cultural empathy, pragmatic outreach, and humility, she is reshaping U.S. diplomacy amid renewed Trump-era focus on Pakistan’s strategic and mineral significance.

Unlike many predecessors who arrived with prescriptive agendas, Baker’s low-key, interim status itself has become an asset. Without the grandeur of Senate confirmation, she projects approachability rather than authority, inviting cooperation instead of compliance. Her predecessor, Ambassador Donald Blome (2022–2025), had made significant headway—delivering $215 million in flood aid and restoring support for Pakistan’s F-16 fleet—but the optics of conditionality lingered. Baker has redirected the narrative, engaging as a facilitator in........

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