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Trump Praises 'Fantastic' Pakistan in Unorthodox Call with Prime Minister

'Your country is amazing with tremendous opportunities,' Trump reportedly told Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. 'Pakistanis are one of the most intelligent people.'

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President-elect Donald Trump. (Photo: Darron Bergenheier/flickr/cc)

The government of Pakistan has released what it says is a summary of a phone call between its prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump—offering a candid look at the commander-in-chief's unusual style of diplomacy.

The conversation allegedly took place on Monday, and the "readout"—described by Vox as "usually a fairly boring summary of a call between world leaders"—in full is below:

Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif called President-elect USA Donald Trump and felicitated him on his victory. President Trump said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif you have a very good reputation. You are a terrific guy. You are doing amazing work which is visible in every way. I am looking forward to see you soon. As I am talking to you Prime Minister, I feel I am talking to a person I have known for long. Your country is amazing with tremendous opportunities. Pakistanis are one of the most intelligent people. I am ready and willing to play any role that you want me to play to address and find solutions to the outstanding problems. It will be an honor and I will personally do it. Feel free to call me any time even before 20th January that is before I assume my office.

On being invited to visit Pakistan by the Prime Minister, Mr. Trump said that he would love to come to a fantastic country, fantastic place of fantastic people. Please convey to the Pakistani people that they are amazing and all Pakistanis I have known are exceptional people, said Mr. Donald Trump.

"Obviously, these could just be paraphrases, but the quotes just sound so much like Trump," Zach Beauchamp wrote for Vox. 

"Lavishing praise on the Pakistanis would be a major turnaround for the president-elect," the Washington Post noted. "In 2012, Trump took to his favorite social media platform, Twitter, to denounce Pakistan."

"On Jan. 17 of that year," the Post reported, "he wrote: 'Get it straight: Pakistan is not our friend. We've given them billions and billions of dollars, and what did we get? Betrayal and disrespect—and much worse. #TimeToGetTough'."

The readout, which has yet to be corroborated by the Trump team, drew commentary on social media, including from one user who said it was "peak Trumpian":

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