Ronny Jackson, former White House doctor, identified as key link in US-Pakistan’s $500 million mining deal

Ronny Jackson, a retired Navy doctor and former White House physician, has emerged as a central figure in the negotiations between the United States and Pakistan over a major mining and rare earths agreement. Jackson's direct engagement with Pakistani authorities, as recorded in filings with the US Department of Justice under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), underscores his pivotal position in shaping the $500 million deal.

According to FARA filings by Javelin Advisors LLC and Conscience Point Consulting as mentioned in The Economic Times, Jackson held an in-person meeting on May 1 with Pakistani officials to discuss the rare earths deal, taking place shortly after the Pahalgam terror attack. This was followed by a telephone conversation on May 6 concerning the potential for India-Pakistan conflict, as New Delhi commenced Operation Sindoor. Subsequent communications included a call on May 16 after ceasefire to arrange a dinner meeting, with further discussions intensifying throughout May.

A crucial phone call took place on May 28, leading to an email containing the draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the mining deal. The submission from Javelin Advisors described the purpose as 'Delivery of Proposed MoU'. Two days later, there was an additional call and text messages through Javelin regarding 'Rare earths development and proposed MoU'. The document continued to circulate within the US system, culminating in a $500 million agreement between US Strategic Metals and Pakistan's Frontier Works Organisation in September.

Jackson's involvement is further underscored by his past legislative actions, including introducing a bill during President Biden's administration that sought to remove Pakistan's major non-NATO ally status. Despite previous political positions, Jackson has now become a principal contact for Pakistan's interests in the United States, particularly for Javelin Advisors LLC, which is operated by Keith Schiller and George Sorial, both with prior connections to Donald Trump and his organisation.

The broader lobbying effort for Pakistan has been coordinated by Robert Seiden of Seiden Law LLP, who holds a stake in Javelin Advisors and subcontracted Conscience Point Consulting, the report added. According to FARA filings, two additional Texas-based lawmakers and former Navy officers, Dan Renshaw and Morgan Luttrell, were also targeted during Operation Sindoor. Renshaw, for instance, produced a podcast stressing the risks of Indo-Pakistani military escalation, echoing strategic priorities expressed by Rawalpindi in Washington.

Jackson's influence has not been limited to the US-Pakistan mining arrangement. He has previously represented Donald Trump’s mining interests in Congo and Rwanda, playing an instrumental role in facilitating diplomatic meetings that led to a peace agreement between the two countries, signed in the presence of Trump.

Jackson served as the White House doctor, spanning three presidential administrations, including Trump’s.