This resource tracked statements, developments, visits, and other interactions in US-Indo-Pacific relations under the President Trump administration. Special focus was given to the comments and activities of President Donald J. Trump; Vice President Mike Pence; United States Trade Representative Ambassador Robert E. Lighthizer; Secretary of State Mike Pompeo; Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, Jr.; former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson; former Secretary of Defense James Mattis; and former Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark Esper.
The Trump Administration & US - Indo-Pacific Relations
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Secretary Pompeo's Interview With Chris Wallace of Fox News Sunday
"[T]his administration is always concerned about human rights. It’s the case not only are there political prisoners that remain in North Korea, there are Americans held around the world by other rogue regimes too. I can assure you this administration – I saw it in my role as director of the CIA and I’ve seen it now in my first two and a half weeks as Secretary of State – is intently focused on achieving the return of each of those as well. We had…
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Secretary Pompeo's Interview with Margaret Brennan of CBS Face the Nation
"Well, my trip was designed to lay the groundwork to prepare for the President’s meeting with Chairman Kim on June 12th, now just 30 days away. We have seen this happen before. We have our eyes wide open with respect to the fact that the North Koreans have not proved worthy of their promises. But we’re hopeful that this will be different, that we won’t do the traditional model where they do something, and we give them a bunch of money, and then both sides…
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Secretary Mattis Meets with South Korean Foreign Minister Kang
"Defense Secretary James N. Mattis met with South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha to discuss the current situation on the Korean Peninsula, chief Pentagon spokesperson Dana W. White said in a statement released yesterday. Kang reviewed the Panmunjom Declaration and the efforts to improve relations between North and South Korea while achieving the common goal of denuclearization, White said in the statement. Mattis and Kang shared hope that the upcoming U.S.-North Korea talks scheduled for June 12 would provide a historic opportunity to reach a…
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President Trump's Call with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee
"President Donald J. Trump spoke today [May 11, 2018] with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore. President Trump thanked Prime Minister Lee for his willingness to host President Trump’s June 12 meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The two leaders also discussed regional security dynamics in the Indo-Pacific region. President Trump and Prime Minister Lee reaffirmed the relationship between the United States and Singapore, which has been one of the United States’ closest partnerships in Asia for more than 50 years. President…
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Secretary Pompeo Discusses Recent Trip to North Korea
"So I have spent more time with Chairman Kim [of North Korea] other than perhaps President Moon [of South Korea] working on this incredibly important challenge that lays before the world. President Trump and the world have set the conditions for a successful outcome from June 12th and the activities that are necessary to follow there from. You asked about my conversations with Chairman Kim. This question is sort of undignified, 'Is he rational?' Yes, we had good conversations, substantive conversations, conversations that involve deep…
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Secretary Mattis' Meeting with Korean Foreign Minister Kang
"Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis met with Republic of Korea (ROK) Foreign Minister Kang Kyungwha to discuss the current situation on the Korean Peninsula. Minister Kang reviewed the Panmunjeom Declaration, and the efforts to improve North-South relations while achieving the common goal of denuclearization. Secretary Mattis and Minister Kang shared their hope that the upcoming U.S.-North Korea talks scheduled for June 12 would provide a historic opportunity to reach a diplomatic resolution that achieves complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization of North Korea. Secretary Mattis…
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President Trump's Call with Japanese Prime Minister Abe
"President Donald J. Trump spoke yesterday [May 9, 2018] with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan. The two leaders discussed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s recent visit to Pyongyang, North Korea, and agreed to continue close coordination in advance of the President’s upcoming meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The President and Prime Minister committed to maintaining trilateral cooperation with the Republic of Korea, and also affirmed the shared goal of North Korea abandoning its illicit weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile…
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Remarks by President Trump at Arrival of Americans Detained in North Korea
"We want to thank Kim Jong-un, who really was excellent to these three incredible people [Americans detained in North Korea]. They are really three incredible people. And the fact that we were able to get them out so soon was really a tribute to a lot of things, including a certain process that’s taking place right now. And that process is very important. [...] We very much appreciate that he [North Korean Chairman Kim Jong Un] allowed them [Americans detained in North Korea] to go…
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President Trump's Call with South Korean President Moon
"President Donald J. Trump spoke today [May 9, 2018] with President Moon Jae-in of the Republic of Korea to discuss Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s visit to North Korea. The two leaders welcomed North Korea’s decision to release three American detainees, and expressed hope for joyful family reunions. President Trump noted he is looking forward to welcoming President Moon back to the White House on May 22."
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Remarks by President Trump at a Roundtable Discussion on Tax Reform
"And, you know, we did a thing called tariffs, and we did — on steel and aluminum — and we’re doing a lot of other things. My group [Secretaries Lighthizer, Mnuchin, and Ross] just got back from China. We’re going to have to rework trade with China because that’s been a one-way street for decades and we just can’t have it happen. And so we’ll do that. And we have a lot of respect for President Xi, and we have a lot of respect for…
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Remarks by President Trump at a Roundtable Discussion on Tax Reform - North Korea Summit
"We’re doing very well on, as you know, North Korea. We’ll see what happens. But we have a meeting set up. We have the location all done. We have the time and place all finished now. We have the date. And so I think that will be something very special."
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Trade Delegation to China
"At the invitation of Vice Premier Liu He and at the direction of President Donald J. Trump, the United States trade delegation, led by Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin and including Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, Assistant to the President for Economic Policy Larry Kudlow, and Assistant to the President for Trade and Manufacturing Policy Peter Navarro, traveled to Beijing, and was joined there by Ambassador Terry Branstad. The delegation held frank discussions with Chinese officials on rebalancing the…