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.

Methodology

All Posts

Secretary Michael R. Pompeo at a Press Availability With Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, and Australian Defence Minister Linda Reynolds

"SECRETARY POMPEO: Good afternoon, everyone.

We have had a lively and productive set of conversations this morning and last night as well. I’ll get to that in just a bit.

First, though, I want to personally thank Ministers Payne and Reynolds for traveling all this way, halfway around the world, to be with us today. That is a tough trip in ordinary times.

And your entire delegation will be quarantining when you get back. Not many partners will do that for us, and so thank…

IISS Special Presentation with Secretary Esper - US Indo-Pacific Policy

Readout of Secretary Esper’s Phone Call With New Zealand Minister for Defence Ron Mark

"Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper spoke today with the New Zealand Minister for Defence Ron Mark, the two leaders reaffirmed the strength of the U.S. –NZL relationship, highlighted respective global security contributions, and discussed the challenging geostrategic operating environment in the Indo-Pacific region. Secretary Esper and Minister Mark agreed to closely coordinate and synchronize on COVID-19 response efforts in the Pacific Island Countries and throughout the region in concert with other like-minded nations. Both leaders emphasized the importance of upholding international rules and norms…

Secretary Pompeo’s Call with Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Momen

"Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo spoke today with Bangladeshi Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen to reaffirm the importance of the U.S.-Bangladesh relationship and discuss our continued cooperation to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Secretary Pompeo and Foreign Minister Momen reviewed the more than $43 million in COVID-19 assistance that the United States has provided thus far to Bangladesh and discussed Bangladesh’s critical role in the international response to the pandemic by manufacturing emergency medical and protective supplies. Secretary Pompeo commended Foreign Minister Momen for Bangladesh’s…

Secretary Pompeo’s Call with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Gunawardena

"Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo spoke today with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena to reaffirm our partnership with the people of Sri Lanka and our commitment to supporting the country’s development and sovereignty. Secretary Pompeo and Foreign Minister Gunawardena discussed our mutual interest in combatting the COVID-19 pandemic and shared commitment to economic stability and sustainable growth. The two leaders also discussed the United States’ ongoing COVID-19 assistance to Sri Lanka, which totals almost $6 million to date, and reviewed the longstanding U.S.-Sri…

Empty Promises from the People’s Republic of China in Africa

"The American people continue to stand with our partners across Africa in confronting the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ve invested more than $100 billion in public health sectors in sub-Saharan Africa over the last 20 years and more than $360 million in COVID-19 response so far. This is what a long-term partnership committed to building a healthier, more prosperous Africa looks like. Our government, U.S. philanthropists, and American businesses invest so heavily in Africa’s health because a healthy population makes Africa — and…

Secretary Pompeo’s Call with Nepali Foreign Minister Gyawali

"Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo spoke today with Nepali Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali to reaffirm the U.S.-Nepal relationship, including ongoing cooperation to address shared challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic. Secretary Pompeo and Foreign Minister Gyawali reviewed the $7.3 million in COVID-19 assistance that the United States has provided to date to Nepal, which builds on the $600 million in health programming assistance that the United States has provided over the past two decades, and the two leaders pledged to remain in contact on…

Secretary Pompeo At a Press Availability on the Release of the 2019 Country Reports on Terrorism

"SECRETARY POMPEO: Good morning, everyone. Good to be with you all today. I want to start my remarks, as I often do, on matters relating to China.

As many of you saw, I met with Yang Jiechi last week in Hawaii.

We had a very frank discussion about the Chinese Communist Party’s unprovoked aggression on a number of fronts and I pressed him for more transparency on COVID for the good of the world.

We’re concerned by Beijing’s behavior and we’re not the only ones…

Press Availability on the Release of the 2019 International Religious Freedom Report - China

"And in China, state-sponsored repression against all religions continues to intensify. The Chinese Communist Party is now ordering religious organizations to obey CCP leadership and infuse communist dogma into their teachings and practice of their faith. The mass detentions of Uighurs in Xinjiang continues. So does the repression of Tibetans and Buddhists and Falun Gong and Christians. [...]

Speaking of China, last week I was humbled and honored to meet with several survivors of the Chinese Communist Party’s massacre at Tiananmen Square that happened 31 years…

Secretary Pompeo’s Call with Partners on COVID-19 - Australia, India, and South Korea

"Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo spoke today with the Foreign Ministers of Australia, Brazil, India, Israel, and the Republic of Korea. Secretary Pompeo and his counterparts discussed the importance of continued close coordination in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. They noted the importance of close cooperation in reopening our economies and combatting disinformation, while also addressing the need for concerted efforts to prevent future pandemics."

Secretary Pompeo at a Press Availability - China and Taiwan

"I want to begin today with a few observations on China, because the media’s focus on the current pandemic risks missing the bigger picture of the challenge that’s presented by the Chinese Communist Party. First, basic facts. China’s been ruled by a brutal, authoritarian regime, a communist regime since 1949.

For several decades, we thought the regime would become more like us through trade, scientific exchanges, diplomatic outreach, letting them in the WTO as a developing nation. That didn’t happen.

We greatly underestimated the degree…