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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Readout of the Vice President’s Meeting with Interfaith Religious Leaders in Southeast Asia

Vice President Mike Pence participated in an interfaith dialogue with faith leaders of Islam, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, and Confucianism at the conclusion of his tour of the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia. Vice President Pence expressed appreciation to Indonesia for its shared commitment to religious freedom and reaffirmed that the United States will continue to defend this fundamental freedom, at home and abroad.

Readout of the Vice President’s Meeting with Vice President Jusuf Kalla and Indonesian Cabinet Ministers

"Today, Vice President Mike Pence met with Vice President Jusuf Kalla and Indonesian Cabinet Ministers in Jakarta, Indonesia. The Vice President reaffirmed the United States’ strong, enduring commitment to the Asia-Pacific region and the Strategic Partnership with Indonesia. Vice President Pence expressed appreciation to the Government of Indonesia for its commitment to tolerance and peace. The two agreed to strengthen cooperation across a range of bilateral and regional issues, including bilateral trade and investment."

Remarks by the Vice President and Indonesian President Widodo to the Press

"I know I’m the first member of President Trump’s administration to visit Southeast Asia, and the President sent me here — sent me here as a sign of the high value the United States places on our strategic partnership with Indonesia. As the second and third largest democracies in the world, our two countries share many common values — including freedom, the rule of law, human rights, and religious diversity. [...] American companies have been doing business in Indonesia for years, and American products and…

Secretary Mattis and Singapore Minister for Defence Dr. Ng Eng Hen

"Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis and Minister for Defence Dr. Ng Eng Hen met April 5 in the Pentagon. During their meeting, they reaffirmed the excellent and long-standing bilateral defense relationship between the United States and Singapore, as underscored by the 1990 memorandum of understanding, the 2005 strategic framework agreement, and the 2015 enhanced defense cooperation agreement (DCA). [...] Secretary Mattis and Dr. Ng affirmed the strong military-to-military cooperation between the Singapore armed forces and the U.S. armed forces. Over the years, personnel exchanges and…

President Trump's Letter to Vietnamese President Quang

"U.S. President Donald Trump has written to Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang to promote more cooperation between the two countries, the government website cited Quang as saying. Vietnam and the United States had advanced ties to a new level under the Obama administration amid a dispute with China over East Vietnam Sea issues, while Trump has also expressed his hope for a stronger relationship. Trump sent a letter to Quang 'affirming his wishes to promote cooperation on economics, trade, regional and international issues', the Vietnamese…

[Confirmation Hearing] USTR Nominee Lighthizer Discusses US-Vietnam Trade

Secretary Mattis' Meeting with Singaporean Minister of Defense Dr. Ng Eng Hen

"Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis met yesterday with Singaporean Minister of Defence Ng Eng Hen on the margins of the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany on Friday. The secretary and the minister of defence affirmed the long standing security partnership between the United States and Singapore. They discussed a range mutual security interests, including cooperation on maritime security and countering violent extremism from terrorist organizations such as ISIS. The secretary expressed appreciation for Singapore hosting U.S. forces and emphasized the importance of its contributions…

Secretary Mattis' Confirmation Hearing Remarks - ISIS in Southeast Asia