American investor Gentry Thomas Beach has made headlines for his recent business engagements in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Turkey. His close relationship with the Trump family—as a friend and confidant of Donald Trump Jr—and the controversial praise he showered on Pakistan have drawn special attention in India. Given the ongoing tension between India and Pakistan, as well as India’s complicated relationships with both Bangladesh and Turkey, Beach’s dealings with these countries have sparked debate in Indian media and political circles.
Although there is no official endorsement of Beach’s so-called ‘economic diplomacy’, it is widely speculated that he played a significant role in shaping President Trump’s approach to the India-Pakistan conflict. By examining Beach’s visits to Pakistan, Bangladesh and Turkey, along with his business engagements in these countries, this explainer addresses some of the critical questions raised by Indian analysts regarding the evolving US stance on Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.
Who is Gentry Thomas Beach?
Gentry Thomas Beach is a Texas-based hedge fund manager, chairman of White-Bridge Global, and cofounder of Highground Holdings and Valence Chemicals. He attended the University of Pennsylvania with Donald Trump Jr in the 1990s, and they have been business partners since at least the mid-2000s. By helping to raise millions of dollars for Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, Beach gained access to top US bureaucrats, including National Security Council officials.
During President Trump’s first term, Beach became embroiled in controversy for attempting to influence NSC officials to lift US sanctions on Venezuela to benefit his business interests in the South American country’s energy sector. Since Donald Trump’s return to the presidency in 2025, Beach has emerged as a key figure in promoting US investments abroad.
What are Beach’s plans in Pakistan?
In the last week of January 2025, Beach led a delegation of American investors to Pakistan for a two-day visit, signalling a shift in the Trump administration’s approach toward the country. During his first term, President Trump had repeatedly criticised Pakistan for not supporting the US’s fight against terrorism and had suspended military aid.
As part of the visit, Beach met with senior Pakistani officials, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, as well as business leaders. He described Pakistan as the US’s “front face in the entire region” and expressed interest in investing in the country’s real estate, energy, and mineral sectors. Calling Pakistan a “high-growth market with massive untapped potential in luxury real estate”, Beach announced a multi-billion-dollar investment in the sector through his holding company, White Bridge Real Estate. Additionally, he discussed the potential development of a Dubai-style free trade zone in Pakistan.
Some reports suggest that Beach’s other company, White Bridge Mining, signed an agreement with Apex Energy, a relatively unknown Pakistani firm, for the exploration and development of placer gold deposits. These reports present the deal as a step toward integrating Pakistan’s speculated USD 50 trillion in mineral wealth into the global supply chain.
As a struggling economy seeking foreign investment, Beach’s proposals were warmly received in Pakistan. Following his visit, at an event in Mar-a-Lago, Beach described Pakistan as a “totally misunderstood place in the world”. He emphasised that Pakistan had made tremendous sacrifices fighting terrorism and deserved global recognition for its efforts. Seeking to reshape the narrative surrounding Pakistan’s role in counterterrorism, he called its leaders “some of the world’s finest people”.
Nearly a month after Beach’s ‘economic diplomacy’ visit, another unofficial US delegation known as ‘Trump Advisers for Digital Assets’ visited Pakistan. This group included Gentry Beach Jr., Nikita Goldsmith, Alex Malkov, and Jerad Finck. While details of their meetings remain largely unknown, some reports suggest that following discussions with Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Pakistan began laying the groundwork for establishing the National Crypto Council, signalling a shift from its previously conservative stance on cryptocurrency.
In March 2025, Pakistan officially launched the Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC), a regulatory body to oversee blockchain operations in the country. Shortly afterwards, executives from World Liberty Financial Inc (WLFI), a cryptocurrency company reportedly owned by the Trump family, visited Pakistan and met with senior officials, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief General Asim Munir. Subsequently, the PCC signed a letter of intent with WLFI to promote investment and innovation in the crypto industry, capitalising on Pakistan’s growing crypto market.
Citing the agreement between PCC and WLFI, Indian analysts have argued that Pakistan is attempting to buy influence with President Trump by offering business deals to his family and friends. Many have also raised concerns about Trump’s neutrality on the India-Pakistan conflict, questioning whether his stance is being influenced by these business ties.
How is Beach engaging with Bangladesh?
Following his visit to Pakistan in late January, Gentry Beach travelled to Bangladesh and met with officials of the interim government, including Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus and senior officials of Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA). Reports suggest that Beach expressed interest in investing in the country’s energy, finance, and real estate sectors.
According to some media reports, Beach’s company has already acquired multiple assets in Bangladesh and is aiming to expand into mineral and gas exploration. He reportedly praised Muhammad Yunus for improving law and order and fostering a stable environment conducive to attracting foreign investment. Beach has also expressed interest in investing in its real estate, aerospace, and defence sectors.
Following his visit, the US Embassy in Dhaka issued a clarification stating that Beach was visiting Bangladesh in a private capacity and that his activities were not connected to the US government.
What is the nature of Beach’s involvement in Turkey?
In April 2025, Gentry Beach visited Istanbul to explore opportunities for expanding his business ventures. His company, White Bridge Global, signed a cooperation agreement with Turkish conglomerate Tera Holding to establish a joint venture in Dubai, based on a 50-50 partnership model. Focusing on digital transformation, energy efficiency, infrastructure modernization, and sustainable growth, the new venture aims to invest in sectors such as digital infrastructure, energy, oil and mining, and banking.
While explaining the company’s investment interests in different countries and regions, Beach described Pakistan as a promising partner with excellent leadership. He highlighted Pakistan’s close ties with Turkey as an advantage for their business strategy.
Commenting on the evolving relationship between Turkey and the US under President Trump, Beach described it as a “new season and a new era”. He said, “President Trump loves strong leadership, he loves strong leaders, and President Erdogan is an excellent leader”. He called Turkey a “partner that can be trusted” and argued that it is capable of producing European and US-level quality products at Chinese prices. He further suggested that Turkey could emerge as a “production centre” and fill the gap left by China in the Western markets if it reduces energy costs.
A few weeks after Beach’s visit, the US government approved a USD 304 million arms deal with Turkey, which included advanced air-to-air missiles and Block II systems. Although there is no confirmed link between the US missile deal and Beach’s business trip to Turkey, some media reports have framed these developments as interconnected.
What are the implications of Beach’s South Asia visits?
It remains unclear whether the Trump administration is deliberately using private investments to advance US foreign policy goals. However, the South Asia trip of a US businessman closely linked to the Trump family, just weeks after the inauguration of President Trump’s second term, raises serious questions about Washington’s evolving approach to the region.
Beach’s business engagements in Pakistan, along with cryptocurrency deals involving a company backed by the Trump family, reinforce Indian concerns over President Trump’s so-called neutral stance on the India-Pakistan conflict. Indian observers are particularly troubled by what they perceive as an attempt to equate a country that sponsors cross-border terrorism with one that has long been its victim. It is unfortunate, they argue, that the leader of the liberal democratic world appears unable to distinguish between the retaliatory actions of the world’s largest democracy against terror outfits and the desperate attempts of a deemed authoritarian country to protect its proxy terror groups.
Although the US administration has not officially endorsed Beach’s activities in South Asia, its silence on his controversial praise of Pakistan and his remarks downplaying the country’s links to terrorism has deepened anxiety in India. As a responsible leader in the global fight against terrorism, the US must distance itself from Beach’s statements and reaffirm its commitment to international counterterrorism efforts.
