The Trump Administration & US - Indo-Pacific Relations

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.

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Remarks by President Trump in Cabinet Meeting - China

"And the relationship [with North Korea] seems very good. I think it’s probably hurt a little bit by China because China isn’t really happy with what I’m doing on trade, but we have no other choice as a country. And they understand that. So I think we’re probably being hurt a little bit with respect to North Korea, having to do with China. But really, we have no choice on that. We had to do something.

It was — the money that was being drained…

Passing of Former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee

"On behalf of the people of the United States of America, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the people of India on the recent passing of Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

We know that many Indians will reflect on Prime Minister Vajpayee’s many contributions that led to India’s rise as a global and economic power. He championed tirelessly for his country’s development and demonstrated a devotion to improving the lives of every Indian. Standing before the United States Congress in 2000, he famously characterized…

Republic of Indonesia National Day

"On behalf of the Government of the United States of America, it is my pleasure to send our warmest wishes to the people of Indonesia as you celebrate your 73rd year of independence this August 17th.

Our relationship is founded on shared democratic values and ideals. This common vision forms the basis of our strong U.S.-Indonesia Strategic Partnership, and we are encouraged by the progress made on our joint goal of promoting a peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific. The United States looks forward to another year…

Secretary Pompeo's Call With Republic of Korea's Foreign Minister Kang

"Secretary Michael R. Pompeo spoke with Foreign Minister Kang of the Republic of Korea by phone. They discussed DPRK denuclearization efforts and the need to maintain pressure until we achieve the final, fully verified denuclearization of the DPRK as agreed by Chairman Kim. Secretary Pompeo and Foreign Minister Kang vowed to maintain close coordination and communication and they affirmed the enduring strength of the U.S.-ROK Alliance."

The Republic of Korea's National Day

"On behalf of President Trump and the people of the United States, I would like to extend my congratulations to the people of the Republic of Korea.

As you celebrate your national day on August 15, we recognize your commitment to democracy, freedom, human rights, and the rule of law have been the underpinning of your success. These values, along with our close people-to-people ties, strong economic relationship, and expansive global partnership, bind our two nations together as we move forward to advance peace and…

Secretary Pompeo's Remarks on Recent Earthquakes in Indonesia

Remarks by Vice President Pence on the Future of the U.S. Military in Space - China

"For many years, nations from Russia and China to North Korea and Iran have pursued weapons to jam, blind, and disable our navigation and communications satellites via electronic attacks from the ground.

But recently, our adversaries have been working to bring new weapons of war into space itself. In 2007, China launched a missile that tracked and destroyed one of its own satellites — a highly provocative demonstration of China’s growing capability to militarize space.

Russia has been designing an airborne laser to disrupt our…

Remarks by President Trump Before Dinner with Business Leaders - China

"We’re in a little bit of a fight with China right now, and we’ve gone up. And I don’t want them to go down because I’m a big fan of President Xi. He’s a friend of mine. But they’re down 28 percent since we — the last three or four months. And we want them to do well, but we want them to treat us fairly. They have not treated us fairly for many decades, which is the President’s fault. I mean, I take responsibility…

Remarks by President Trump Before Dinner with Business Leaders - North Korea

"North Korea — we’re doing well. I think we have a lot of good talk going on. That’s been going on for many, many years. I think — you know, we left there three months ago. Somebody said, “Well, wait a minute. Why isn’t it moving faster?” They’ve been working on this thing for 40 years.

I left three months ago. We got our hostages back. There’s no more missiles flying over Japan. There’s no rockets going up. There’s no nuclear testing. And we have…

ASEAN Day 2018

"On behalf of the Government of the United States of America, I am honored to congratulate the ten member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the ASEAN Secretariat on the organization’s 51st anniversary on August 8th. For over 40 years, U.S.-ASEAN engagement has helped foster a stable, prosperous, and peaceful Southeast Asia. I welcome ASEAN’s role as a centerpiece of the Indo-Pacific’s regional architecture and its contributions to a free and open Indo-Pacific region. The United States is proud to support…