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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Secretary Mattis's Closing Remarks at the U.S.-India 2+2 Dialogue
"Since India gained its independence in 1947, our nations have shared a fundamental respect and love of freedom. Just three years after India’s independence, Prime Minister Nehru visited the United States – in his words, and I quote – “On a voyage of discovery of the mind and heart of America.” Today, Secretary Pompeo and I bring the same spirit that Prime Minister Nehru carried to Washington almost 70 years ago, promoting the cooperation which both our countries earnestly desire. Today’s successful and highly productive…
Secretaries Pompeo and Mattis's Meeting With Indian Prime Minister Modi
"Today Secretary Pompeo, jointly with Secretary Mattis, met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Secretary Pompeo conveyed the importance attached by President Trump to the deepening strategic partnership between the United States and India, and U.S. support for India’s role as a leading global power and regional security provider. Secretary Pompeo discussed with Prime Minister Modi joint efforts to safeguard the Indo-Pacific as a region of peace, stability, and growing prosperity. Secretary Pompeo noted the important role people-to-people ties play in the bilateral relationship and…
Readout of Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis’ participation at the India 2+2 Dialogue
"On September 6, India’s Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman hosted Secretary of State Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Mattis in New Delhi for the first U.S.-India 2+2 Dialogue.
The 2+2 is a demonstrable signal of the U.S. and India’s shared commitment to a forward-looking strategic partnership based on shared values and strategic interests.
Both sides welcomed the signing of the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA), an agreement that will deepen our interoperability and facilitate India’s access to advanced…
Media Availability by Secretary Mattis En Route to India
"So we are coming -- Secretary Pompeo and I -- are coming to New Delhi for the continued consultations. And I believe we will be reaffirming much of our shared vision for the region, alongside our Indian counterparts, Minister Swaraj and Minister Sitharaman, during this first two-plus-two meeting between the U.S. and India at the ministerial level. [...] Secretary Pompeo and I will also meet with Prime Minister Modi and National Security Advisor Devol to reinforce our appreciation for India's role in that regional and…
Previewing Secretary Pompeo and Secretary Mattis' Upcoming U.S.-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue Trip
"The 2+2 is a major opportunity to enhance our engagement with India on critical diplomatic and security priorities. I [State Department official giving the briefing]know that Secretary Pompeo and Secretary Mattis are honored to be making – excuse me, Secretary Pompeo is honored to be making his first trip to India as Secretary of State for such an important event. I [State Department official giving the briefing] should also add that we are grateful to External Affairs Minister Swaraj, Defense Minister Sitharaman, and the Indian…
Remarks by Secretary Mattis at an Enhanced Honor Cordon Welcoming Indonesian Minister of Defense Ryacudu
"We also want to encourage deeper cooperation between our industrial bases, because we see a strong Indonesian industrial base as contributing to Indonesian sovereignty and independence and prosperity, and all of those things help add stability in the Pacific when we need it.We are conducting over 200 bilateral defense engagements together every year, if you count all of them, and we just concluded CARAT, the most significant bilateral maritime exercise between us today. [...] In America, we appreciate Indonesia's strong leadership and your commitment to…
Media Availability by Secretary Mattis - North Korea
"Q: Do you see that as a confidence-building measure to some extent? Does it give you any more additional confidence that the North Koreans are going to engage in their promise on denuclearization? SEC. MATTIS: Yes, Barbara, clearly what we have here is something that has been frozen for -- for years now, and so that's warmed up. The remains were turned over as agreed during the -- or it’s initiated and agreed during the summit that President Trump had with Chairman Kim. It was…
Secretary Pompeo's Interview With Zoe Daniel of Australian Broadcast Corporation - Indo-Pacific
"We had long conversations about a free and open Indo-Pacific. Foreign Minister Bishop, Defense Minister Payne, Secretary Mattis, and myself all understand that that is an incredibly important thing not only for countries in the region, the Pacific Island countries, Southeast Asia, Australia itself, but for the United States as well. And we have developed – you’ll see – we’ll put together a document that we will share with the world that talks about the concrete actions we’re going to take to ensure that the…
Secretary Mattis's Remarks on the US-Australia Relationship
"In these past 12 months, we have strengthened our defense cooperation in many tangible ways, finalizing our respective national security and defense strategies to address shared threats and increasing our coordination of joint capabilities development. We’ve enhanced our interoperability and our cooperation in the region through Exercise RIMPAC and numerous other exercises, and that’s continuing our 100-year tradition of teamwork, or mateship as our friends from Down Under call it. Minister Payne and I signed a cyber memorandum of understanding to enable our countries to…
Secretary Mattis's Remarks on Australia, China, and the South China Sea
"Well, we’re totally aligned, Australia and the United States, with what we want as an end state in the Pacific, and that is of course the free and the open Indo-Pacific, where nations large and small are treated with respect for their territorial integrity, for their sovereignty, their sovereign decisions. And I think that as we look at the South China Sea, our concern is that features that have never been militarized before have been militarized by the PRC. We’ve been very – over several…