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 During the Coronavirus Task Force in Press Briefing - China and North Korea

"Q Last thing from me: North Korea. What do you — what can you tell us about the status of Kim Jong Un?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, these are reports that came out, and we don’t know. We don’t know. I’ve had a very good relationship with him. I wouldn’t — you know, I can only say this: I wish him well. Because if he is in the kind of condition that the reports say, that the news is saying, that would be a — that’s…

Secretary Pompeo With Hugh Hewitt of The Hugh Hewitt Show - Coronavirus Around the Indo-Pacific

"QUESTION: Neither can I. Let me move to China. Can you confirm the report that the G7 disagrees with you over your belief we ought to call this the Wuhan virus?

SECRETARY POMPEO: So different countries take different approaches. I will say this: I was actually pleased yesterday. The EU countries that are part of the G7 made very clear, as did my Japanese counterpart, that the Chinese disinformation campaign that the Chinese are actively engaged in even as we speak, trying to defer blame…

Secretary Pompeo At a Press Availability - China, North Korea, and Myanmar

"[...] First, we spent a substantial amount of time on threats posed by authoritarian states. The Chinese Communist Party poses a substantial threat to our health and way of life, as the Wuhan virus outbreak clearly has demonstrated. The CCP also threatens to undermine the free and open order that has underpinned our mutual prosperity and safety in the G7 countries.

I urged every one of the countries to work together to protect the UN and other organizations from its malign influence and authoritarianism. We…

Secretary Pompeo With Sean Hannity of The Sean Hannity Show - China and North Korea

"QUESTION: Here with a lot more on this and so much more, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Mr. Secretary, great to see you. Thank you for being with us. You actually brought in Chinese representatives to your office on this very topic of blaming the U.S. military and other issues. Can you bring us inside that conversation?

SECRETARY POMPEO: Well, Sean, thanks for having me on tonight. We did, in fact, call on the Chinese ambassador, and I spoke to my counterpart in China a…

Secretary Pompeo With Bret Baier of Special Report with Bret Baier - North Korea

"QUESTION: Two quick things as we wrap up here. John Bolton, former national security advisor, calls this an Obama-style deal. I know you pushed back on that earlier. He also tweeted out, “North Korea, true to form, resumes ballistic missile testing, yet again violating UN Security Council resolutions. U.S. policy must finally face the reality that North Korea will never voluntarily stop pursuing deliverable nuclear weapons.” Is he right?

SECRETARY POMPEO: The President’s made a real commitment to try to find a path forward. Chairman…

Secretary Esper and [Japanese Defense] Minister Kono Press Conference

"SECRETARY OF DEFENSE MARK T. ESPER: Well good afternoon, everyone. Minister Kono, it is a pleasure to host you today as we honor the strong defense relationship between the United States and Japan. This Sunday, we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the signing of the U.S.-Japan Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security.

The agreement formalized our commitment to addressing shared security concerns on the basis of freedom and democracy. Since then, we have united to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific region and to uphold…

Secretary Pompeo's Remarks at the Commonwealth Club - China and North Korea

"And I want to talk to you about one specific topic today, the challenges and opportunities that the United States has with China. We need to think bigger, perhaps, and better as well. Because I am convinced that we can cooperate with China, as this administration has shown with what I hope will be in the next several hours the signing of a phase one trade deal. That’s a fantastic thing, I believe, for the United States. We’d welcome more of it.

But we also…

Remarks by President Trump Before New Year’s Eve Celebration - North Korea and China

"Q Mr. President, can you — what is your message tonight for — what is your message tonight for North Korea?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, we’ll see. I have a very good relationship with Kim Jong Un. I know he’s sending out certain messages about Christmas presents, and I hope his Christmas present is a beautiful vase. That’s what I’d like — a vase —

Q Do you think it will be, sir?

THE PRESIDENT: — as opposed to something else. I don’t know. I —…

Secretary Pompeo With Major Garrett of CBS Evening News - North Korea

"QUESTION: Let me move you to North Korea, because just before you came in, Mr. Secretary, a couple of things were announced by the state media in North Korea. One, that, according to Kim Jong-un on the state media, the world will, quote, “witness a new strategic weapon to be possessed by the DPRK,” meaning North Korea, in the near future, and that North Korea is ending its moratorium on nuclear and ballistic missile testing.

Have you ever been more concerned about the future of…

Secretary Pompeo With Mike Emanuel of Fox News Special Report - North Korea

"QUESTION: There was a bulletin a short time ago from the North Korean leader saying the world will see “new strategic weapon” in “near future.” Your assessment of that, sir?

SECRETARY POMPEO: So I’ve seen that reporting publicly. It remains the case that we hope that Chairman Kim will take a different course. President Trump came into office with the threat of war from – with North Korea real and a true concern for the American people. He took a tack; we said we can…

Secretary Esper's Remarks at the Council on Foreign Relations