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 Norah O'Donnell of CBS News - North Korea
"QUESTION: South Korean President Moon Jae-in said that he was going to deliver a secret message from Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, to President Trump. What was in that message?
SECRETARY POMPEO: So the messages that we’ve been receiving from Chairman Kim have been very consistent. They are that he is intent on denuclearizing, he understands that, he understands the scope of that and what that means. He’s been very consistent in his commitment to delivering on that promise. We need to find our…
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Secretary Mattis's Remarks at Press Gaggle - South Korea
"Q: Do you agree with General [Robert] Abrams [nominee to serve as next commander of U.S. Forces Korea] that there's been a slight degradation in the capabilities of the readiness of U.S. forces in South Korea? SEC. MATTIS: Well, if you -- if you -- if you emphasize the word slight, certainly if you're not training today then you could say there's a slight degradation. Is it notable? Is it material? I think that's why he put the word slight in there. So there --…
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President Trump's Remarks at Press Gaggle Upon Arriving at United Nations Headquarters - North Korea
"Q No — what needs to happen — on North Korea, what needs to happen on North Korea? What does North Korea need to do before you will meet Chairman Kim again?
THE PRESIDENT: We are denuclearizing North Korea. We have a wonderful relationship going between our country and them. We’re being helped a lot by Japan, and very much by President Moon of South Korea.
And North Korea — it’s going along very well. We really have had a tremendous amount of progress since…
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President Trump's Remarks at Press Gaggle Upon Arriving at United Nations Headquarters - Japan
"Q What are you going to discuss with the Japanese Prime Minister Abe today?
THE PRESIDENT: A very good relationship with — as you know, with Prime Minister Abe. He was in my apartment just the other day in Trump Tower. We had a very long, couple-of-hour discussion. He loves his country.
He had a tremendous victory in the election, as you know, which I was very happy about. I don’t know if you’re supposed to endorse somebody or not, but I endorsed him and…
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President Trump’s Meeting with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan
"Today, President Donald J. Trump met with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan in New York. The two leaders discussed recent developments on the Korean Peninsula, including North Korea’s recent commitment to dismantle its weapons of mass destruction and missile programs, and agreed that much hard work remains. The two leaders reaffirmed their shared goal of achieving the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea as agreed to by Chairman Kim, noting that the responsibility is on North Korea to implement immediate measures in line…
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President Trump's Remarks at the United Nations Security Council Briefing on Counterproliferation - North Korea
"As I also mentioned yesterday, we have seen the results of historic efforts to open new pathways to peace on the North Korean Peninsula — on the Korean Peninsula. And that’s something we are extremely proud of.
I am pleased to say that North Korea has not conducted a missile test since last November. It has not conducted a nuclear test since last September. And the hostages have been returned to us. And very importantly, the remains of American heroes are now returning home.
In…
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Secretary Pompeo's Meeting With North Korean Foreign Minister Ri
"Today, Secretary Pompeo met with Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in New York. Secretary Pompeo accepted Chairman Kim’s invitation to travel to Pyongyang next month to make further progress on the implementation of the commitments from the U.S.-DPRK Singapore summit, including the final, fully verified denuclearization of the DPRK, and to prepare for a second summit between President Trump and Chairman Kim."
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Secretary Mattis's Remarks at Press Gaggle - China
"Q: Ask about China, this increased tensions with China. There was a continuous bomber presence mission yesterday over the South China Sea, which is going to -- SEC. MATTIS: The planes that we have – Idrees the planes, the ships sailing in South China Sea and all, that just goes on. If it was 20 years ago and they had not militarized those features there, it would've just been another bomber on its way to Diego Garcia or whatever. Or down to work with one…
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President Trump's Remarks at a Luncheon Hosted by the Secretary-General of the United Nations
"We covered, as you know, during my speech, North Korea. Last year, my tone was somewhat different on North Korea than it is right now. Tremendous progress has been made. And I think you’re going to see an outcome. As the expression goes, “Who knows?” But I think you’re going to see a very, very great outcome.
I hope that, eventually, some of the other countries that we have conflict with — if not war-like conflict, trade conflict, other types of conflict — a lot…
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President Trump's Remarks to the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly - North Korea
"With support from many countries here today, we have engaged with North Korea to replace the specter of conflict with a bold and new push for peace.In June, I traveled to Singapore to meet face to face with North Korea’s leader, Chairman Kim Jong Un.
We had highly productive conversations and meetings, and we agreed that it was in both countries’ interest to pursue the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Since that meeting, we have already seen a number of encouraging measures that few could…
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President Trump's Remarks to the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly - China
"The United States lost over 3 million manufacturing jobs, nearly a quarter of all steel jobs, and 60,000 factories after China joined the WTO. And we have racked up $13 trillion in trade deficits over the last two decades.
But those days are over. We will no longer tolerate such abuse. We will not allow our workers to be victimized, our companies to be cheated, and our wealth to be plundered and transferred. America will never apologize for protecting its citizens.
The United States has…