WASHINGTON: The Trump White House is divided over how to deal withPakistan, with some officials favouring a hardline approach and otherswarning against alienating a nuclear-armed country of 200 million people,the US media reported on Tuesday.

The divide — reported by the prestigious *Foreign Policy* magazine — isreflected in recent statements by US officials who continue to urgePakistan to do more for eliminating terrorism but also acknowledge thatPakistan has taken “some positive steps in the right direction”.

*Also read: **US, Pakistan much to gain from cooperation, says Trump aide*link>

According to the report, the hardliners argue that years of aid andaccommodation with Pakistan “have produced little in return” and now is thetime for some “punitive actions”.

Those urging caution point out that Pakistan is not only a nuclear nationbut also has a strategic location — “borders China” — and that’s why itwould be a mistake to alienate it.

But some in the administration believe that recent punitive actions — suchas the suspension of security aid — have had a positive impact on Pakistanand urge the Trump administration to keep up the pressure.

“We’ve certainly seen Pakistan take some positive steps in the rightdirection,” State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said at a recentnews briefing.