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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Aftermath of Typhoon Hagibis

"On behalf of the American people, we express to our friend and ally Japan our deepest condolences for the loss of life and damage caused by Typhoon Hagibis. We stand by the people of Japan during this difficult time and offer our sincere hopes for Japan’s quick recovery from this disaster."

Secretary Ross's Comments at the Federalist Society on US Trade Policy Towards the Indo-Pacific

Remarks By Secretary Ross at the AMCHAM [American Chamber of Commerce] Business Lunch in Sydney, Australia

"Thank you, April, for that kind introduction, and thank you for your efforts to strengthen and expand the U.S.- Australian commercial partnership. It is my pleasure to be here. After having been in London, New Delhi, and Singapore over the past week, I’m feeling a bit like Mad Max! But we know that Mad Max always prevails; and the original is still the most profitable film of all time.

I just finished a productive meeting with Trade Minister Simon Birmingham, and a wonderful meeting with Prime…

President Trump Signs U.S.-Japan Trade Deals

Ambassador Lighthizer's Remarks on Signing of Two New Trade Agreements with Japan

Op-Ed by Secretary Ross - China, Japan, and South Korea

"Thanks to President Donald J. Trump, the United States is no longer subsidizing the growth of other countries at the expense of American jobs and American wages. In the post-World War II world, the United States helped rebuild the economies of our allies and friends in Europe, Asia and South America through enervating trade agreements or by looking the other way in the face of predatory trade policies. But as many of these countries grew into economic behemoths, America’s trade policy did not change.

Permanent…

Secretary Pompeo’s Meeting with Quad Foreign Ministers of Australia, India, and Japan

"Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo met with the Foreign Ministers of Australia, India, and Japan in New York to discuss collective efforts to advance a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific. The four countries reaffirmed their shared commitment to close cooperation on maritime security, quality infrastructure, and regional connectivity in support of a rules-based order that promotes stability, growth, and economic prosperity. The Ministers discussed counter-terrorism and cyber security as other priority areas for ongoing engagement. The four countries reaffirmed their strong support for ASEAN…

Remarks by President Trump and Prime Minister Abe of Japan Before Bilateral Meeting

"PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, thank you very much. We have some of our great farmers and ranchers and businesspeople in the room, and likewise Japan. And we have tremendous representatives — some of the biggest people anywhere in the world — what we’re going and the agreement that we just signed. And it’s an honor to have you with us. I thought you could join us for this meeting.

We’ll be talking about certain elements of business and trade, and it would be good to have…

Remarks by President Trump and Prime Minister Abe of Japan in Signing of Joint Trade Agreement

"[PRESIDENT TRUMP:] In a moment, the Prime Minister and I will sign a document outlining the significant steps we’re taking toward a fair and reciprocal trade agreement. We insist on fairness and we insist on reciprocal — we want reciprocal agreements from now on because — and I’m not just talking about Japan. I’m talking about virtually every nation in the world. They have not been reciprocal. They’ve been one-way streets.

Under the market access agreement that we’re announcing today, Japan will open new markets…