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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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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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…
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Remarks by President Trump Before Air Force One Departure - North Korea Summit
"We’re having very substantive talks with North Korea. And a lot of things have already happened with respect to the hostages. And I think you’re going to see very good things. As I said yesterday, stayed tuned. I think you’re going to be seeing very, very good things. And also, the trip [for a proposed meeting between President Trump and North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un] is being scheduled. We now have a date and we have a location. We’ll be announcing it soon. [...]…
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Remarks by President Trump Before Air Force One Departure - US Force Posture in South Korea
"No. No. And we haven’t been asked to [withdraw US troops from South Korea]. Now, I have to tell you, at some point into the future, I would like to save the money. You know, we have 32,000 troops there [South Korea]. But I think a lot of great things will happen. But troops are not on the table [during negotiations with North Korea]. Absolutely."
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Presidential Message in Commemoration of the 76th Anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea
"On behalf of the United States, First Lady Melania and I join the people of Australia in remembrance and reflection for the 76th Commemoration of the Battle of the Coral Sea. The engagement in the Coral Sea from May 4 to 8, 1942, holds a unique place in the joint history of our two great nations. Seventy-six years ago, Americans and Australians fought side-by-side to hold back a powerful adversary in the Pacific. During that battle, over 600 service members lost their lives for the…
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USTR Lighthizer Issues First WTO Counter Notification Against India's Market Price Support
“'The United States expects our trading partners to comply with the reporting requirements they agreed to when joining the WTO,' said Ambassador Lighthizer. 'Accurate reporting and improved transparency of these programs is an important step in ensuring that our trading partners are living up to their WTO commitments and helps achieve more market-based outcomes through the multilateral trading system.' [...] Based on U.S. calculations, it appears that India has substantially underreported its market price support for wheat and rice. When calculated according to WTO Agreement…
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Media Availability with Secretary Mattis at the Pentagon
"First of all, I don't reconcile. I deal with how it's -- how it develops. But there's no wedge between us [United States and South Korea]. I spent an hour on the phone -- I'm -- no -- nothing less than that -- an hour on the phone, Saturday morning, with my counterpart in Seoul, Minister Song. We -- and we have maintained that level of what I'd call collaboration or consultation throughout this period, where we're constantly getting all the details, both in advance…
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Secretary Pompeo's Meeting With Japanese Foreign Minister Kono
"On April 30, Secretary Pompeo met with Japanese Foreign Minister Kono in Amman, Jordan. Secretary Pompeo and Foreign Minister Kono reaffirmed our commitment to achieving the permanent and verifiable denuclearization of North Korea and to continuing close coordination on this issue. The two leaders expressed their joint commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and enhancing a free, fair, and reciprocal U.S.-Japan economic relationship. The Secretary and Foreign Minister also discussed other issues of regional and global concern."
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President Trump's Proclamation on Section 232 Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum - South Korea
"Today, President Donald J. Trump issued two proclamations authorizing modifications of the Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum. The Administration has reached a final agreement with South Korea on steel imports, the outlines of which were previously announced by U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Republic of Korea Minister for Trade Hyun-chong Kim. The Administration has also reached agreements in principle with Argentina, Australia, and Brazil with respect to steel and aluminum, the details of which will be finalized shortly."
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Secretary Pompeo's Remarks to the Press
"With respect to the differences in the deal, I am confident that Kim Jong-un is looking for more than a piece of paper, right? He’s not just staring at this North Korean deal and saying, 'Oh goodness, there was this Iran agreement between President Obama and the Iranians, and I’m going to rely on the fact that the Americans stayed in that to have confidence that the Americans will do the right thing if I give up my nuclear weapons.' He’s going to look for…