Asia Matters for America
America Matters for Asia
Explore US-Asia National and Local Connections
An initiative of the East-West Center and Asia Matters for America partners and stakeholders
The 2020 Presidential Candidates on the Indo-Pacific resource highlighted mentions of Indo-Pacific issues by US presidential candidates and nominees in speeches, campaign documents, and debates.
To view statements by President Trump prior to his June 18, 2019 declaration to seek a second term, as well as members of his Cabinet, visit The Trump Administration & US - Indo-Pacific Relations.
"Q Mr. President, you talk about “America first” a lot. Do you recognize that, for many of your allies, sometimes it’s seen as “America alone” because it has adverse impacts on countries like Japan and Australia — like on trade, for example?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Yeah, well, I think I can say very easily that we’ve been very good to our allies. We work with our allies. We take care of our allies. Generally speaking, I’ve inherited massive trade deficits with our allies. And we even…
"Prime Minister Abe, the First Lady and I are profoundly honored to return to this very beautiful nation as Japan’s first state guests following the enthronement of His Majesty the Emperor. On behalf of the United States, we want to thank the Imperial Family for this gracious invitation and warm welcome. It was really wonderful.
Melania and I are thrilled to be back in the Land of the Rising Sun. It is a true privilege to take part in the splendor of this historic moment and…
"PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you very much. It’s a great honor to be with the Vice Premier of China, a highly respected man all over the world. We’ve had tremendous discussions. We’re getting very close to making a deal. That doesn’t mean a deal is made, because it’s not, but we’re certainly getting a lot closer. And I would think with — oh, within the next four weeks or maybe less, maybe more — whatever it takes — something very monumental could be announced.
We very…
"Well, Mr. President, thank you very much. This is great, great honor. And I send our warmest regards from all Americans. Our country, like your country, is doing very, very well. Our economy is probably as good as it’s ever been; maybe the best it’s been. And unemployment and all of the numbers that you would look at are at historically positive numbers.
And so I just see what you’ve done, and I’ve — I’m very proud of what you’ve done. And I’m very proud…
"Thank you very much, Mr. Prime Minister. The trip has been beautiful. We have a very big meeting planned tonight, as you know, with North Korea and Chairman Kim. And I think it may very well turn out to be very successful. It helps that it’s in Vietnam because you’ve shown something that the world is really getting to see the incredible job that you’ve done in Vietnam in a very short period of time.
Coming in from the airport, seeing everything that’s been happening…