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 Pompeo And Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai At a Press Availability
"SECRETARY POMPEO: Great. Thank you. Good afternoon, and it’s a privilege to represent the United States of America on this visit to Thailand. Foreign Minister Don and I have been spending a lot of time together this week, as we should. Thailand is our oldest treaty partner here in Asia, and its leadership of ASEAN has been exemplary.
One of my missions throughout this week is to highlight what’s been true in the Indo-Pacific for decades – and in Thailand’s case, centuries – that the…
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Remarks by President Trump Before Marine One Departure - China, North Korea, and India
"Q Mr. President, why the tariffs against China now? And are you concerned about the nosedive the Dow took today as a result?
THE PRESIDENT: No, I’m not concerned about that at all. I expected that a little bit because people don’t understand quite yet about what’s happened.
We’ve taxed China on 300 billion dollars’ worth of goods and products being sold into our country. And China eats it because they have to pay it. Because what they do is they devalue their currency and…
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Remarks by President Trump Before Marine One Departure - China and North Korea
"THE PRESIDENT: So I just want to tell you the economy is doing fantastically well. We have people over in China right now. We’re negotiating with China. We’ll see what happens. We’re either going to make a great deal or we’re not going to make a deal at all. But a lot of great things are happening, and including with China. [...]
THE PRESIDENT: So the talks are moving very well with China, but they were often with China. But China always makes a new deal…
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Secretary Pompeo's Remarks to Traveling Press En Route to Bangkok, Thailand - Indo-Pacific
"SECRETARY POMPEO: So just a couple things, if I may, just to sort of set what caused me to take this trip. So we’ll be gathering with a bunch of countries that we have worked closely with on many different things, and you’ll see that I’ll have a series of bilats. Many of these are like-minded countries who share our vision for what the region should look like and how economic growth will – ought to be achieved. And so I’m looking forward to that…
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Remarks by President Trump at Signing of Safe Third Country Agreement with Guatemala - China and North Korea
"Look, I look at deals that were done with other Presidents and this country, and it’s a disgrace that our country has allowed this to happen — where China, for years and years and years was making from $300 billion to $507 billion a year, okay? Now we’re taking in billions of dollars from China, and it’s all turning around.
Whether a deal is made — you know, they’re going next week; they have more meetings. Meeting after meeting. I don’t think, personally, China would…
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Secretary Pompeo With Kevin Cirilli of Bloomberg TV - North Korea and China
"QUESTION: I mean, there’s so much going on around the world. I mean, coming up with these questions, there’s literally like hot pockets all around the world. Just within the last 24 hours, the North Koreans test-firing two new short-range ballistic missiles on Thursday. How does this impact the denuclearization talks with Kim Jong-un?
SECRETARY POMPEO: Look, everybody tries to get ready for negotiations and create leverage, and create risk for the other side. President Trump has been incredibly consistent here. We want diplomacy to…
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Secretary Pompeo With Bret Baier of FOX News - North Korea and China
"QUESTION: North Korea. Ambassador Bolton was in South Korea, and North Korea just launched these two missiles, 30 miles in the air. It’s made – North Korea has made clear it does not like the national security advisor, they do not particularly like you. They talk about you quite a bit. What message is the administration taking from this latest action?
SECRETARY POMPEO: So when the President and Chairman Kim were together now just a few weeks back in the DMZ, Chairman Kim made two…
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Secretary Pompeo With Buck Sexton of iHeartMedia - China and North Korea
"QUESTION: And what can you tell us about the status of the ongoing discussions with the Chinese to get some kind of trade agreement? Obviously, what has been called a trade war has been going on for quite some time. I know the President said there’s been some good stuff recently without a whole lot of specifics. Where are we and what are the stumbling blocks?
SECRETARY POMPEO: Buck, I can’t give you many more specifics either. I had an update earlier this week on…
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Secretary Pompeo With Steve Doocy, Ainsley Earhardt, and Brian Kilmeade of FOX and Friends - North Korea
"QUESTION: A real quick exit question. A couple of weeks ago we saw the President shake hands with Kim Jong-un. Anything going on since then behind the scenes we need to know about?
SECRETARY POMPEO: So the State Department has had a number of conversations with the North Koreans. Chairman Kim committed to getting our teams back to the negotiating table. I hope that we will. I hope when they show up they take a position that’s different. This is a simple task in the…
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Secretary Pompeo With Justin Warmoth of CBS - North Korea
"QUESTION: I want to ask you about the recent trip to North Korea and the historic trip with the President walking into the denuclearized zone. Talk about being there for that moment and what that ultimately means for the country.
SECRETARY POMPEO: So it was really something. The President very much wanted to meet again with Chairman Kim. This would have been the third time he’s had the chance to meet him. I’ve now met him a half dozen or more times. When we came…
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Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo With Raymond Arroyo of EWTN-TV - China and North Korea
"QUESTION: You have said vis-a-vis religious liberty, “America’s commitment to religious freedom will never waver.” Given that commitment, why have we not heard so much about religious and human rights in the conversation with China? And why not tie those rights, as previous administrations have, to trade?
SECRETARY POMPEO: So I think we’ve done that more than perhaps the administration’s been given credit for. Whether it was our consul general in Hong Kong or the statements that have been made by various officials, including me…