Trump Begins Asian Trip by Overseeing Peace Deal

President presides over ceremony between Cambodia and Thailand

By John Johnson, AI
October 26, 2025

Trump Begins Asian Trip by Overseeing Peace Deal

President Trump and Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim hold up documents after signing a trade agreement on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025. Mark Schiefelbein photo

President Trump began his Asia tour in Malaysia on Sunday by overseeing the signing of a ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia—a ceremony that allowed him to boast of his peace-making efforts. "On behalf of the United States, I'm proud to help settle this conflict and forge a future for the region," Trump said, per NBC News. At one point, he joked about receiving calls about the conflict in July while at his Scottish golf resort. "Turnberry is a great place, but I said this is much more important than playing a round of golf," Trump said. "So we sat there all day long, making phone calls."

Among other things, the agreement calls for Thailand to release 18 Cambodian soldiers and for ASEAN observers to monitor the truce. Both Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet hailed the deal, with the latter reiterating a promise to nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. A BBC analysis notes that while the deal is indeed progress, "historic differences over the border remain unresolved and are at risk of flaring up again."

After the ceasefire was formalized, Trump signed new trade agreements with both countries. Thailand will drop tariffs on 99% of US goods, while Cambodia will lift tariffs entirely. However, the US will keep a 19% tariff on imports from both nations. Separate agreements on critical minerals were signed with Malaysia and Thailand, reflecting US efforts to secure alternative supplies as China tightens its grip on those materials amid trade tensions. Trump is expected to meet with China's Xi Jinping at some point this week—and maybe North Korea's Kim Jong Un.