President Donald Trump arrived in Malaysia for a virtually weeklong tour of Asia that can embody conferences with key leaders, with a primary aim of securing a commerce take care of China’s President Xi Jinping — in hopes of ending a monthslong commerce warfare.
Trump arrived in Kuala Lumpur shortly after 10 a.m. native time on Sunday. Whereas he was on his manner, Trump posted on his social media platform that he would meet with the prime minister of Thailand upon arrival and signal a peace settlement between Thailand and Cambodia, noting the recent death of Thailand’s Queen Mother Sirikit.
President Donald Trump walks with Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim as he arrives at Kuala Lumpur Worldwide Airport in Sepang, Malaysia, Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025.
Mark Schiefelbein/AP
Trump is anticipated to sit down down with a number of different Asian leaders on the Affiliation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and has a bilateral assembly with Malaysia’s prime minister, Anwar bin Ibrahim, whereas in Kuala Lumpur, in the course of the preliminary stage of his journey.
President Donald Trump is greeted by Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim as he arrives at Kuala Lumpur Worldwide Airport in Sepang, Malaysia, Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025.
Mark Schiefelbein/AP
U.S. President Donald Trump joins the performers in a dance throughout a welcoming ceremony after arriving at Kuala Lumpur Worldwide Airport, to attend the forty seventh Affiliation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia October 26, 2025.
Hasnoor Hussain/Reuters
Securing commerce take care of China
Trump is anticipated to sit down down along with his Chinese language counterpart in South Korea on Thursday, the ultimate day of his abroad journey.
U.S.-China relations skilled some detente this summer time as tariffs have been lowered whereas commerce talks continued, however tensions flared lately when China introduced tightened export controls on rare earth minerals weeks earlier than the leaders have been set to fulfill.
President Donald Trump on September 18, 2025 and Chinese language President Xi Jinping September 1, 2025.
AFP/POOL/AFP through Getty Pictures
The Trump administration sees these expanded restrictions, which apply to international locations world wide, as having a significant affect on world manufacturing. Trump’s prime financial advisers have referred to as the export controls “financial coercion” and “extortion.”
President Donald Trump speaks throughout a roundtable on legal cartels within the State Eating Room of the White Home, Oct. 23, 2025, in Washington.
Jim Watson/AFP through Getty Pictures
He responded by threatening a further 100% tariff on Chinese language imports, set to take impact Nov. 1, if his talks with Xi fail.
Even so, he has appeared optimistic, saying he expects “to have the ability to make it a very good deal” with Xi when the 2 sit down collectively. He is mentioned they’re additionally anticipated to confer about China’s buy of American soybeans and even nuclear issues.
Different world leaders
Following his cease in Malaysia, Trump will then journey to Japan the place he is anticipated to sit down down with Japan’s new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi. A political conservative, Takaichi is the nation’s first feminine chief. Whereas the U.S. and Japan have already secured a commerce deal, the 2 will spotlight that side of the U.S.-Japan relationship.
Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks throughout a press convention on the prime minister’s workplace in Tokyo, Oct. 21, 2025.
Eugene Hoshiko/AP, Pool
On Wednesday, Trump can also be anticipated to go to South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Financial Cooperation (APEC) Summit. Whereas there, Trump will maintain a bilateral assembly with the president of the Republic of Korea, ship keynote remarks on the APEC CEO luncheon and take part in APEC working dinner.
The go to comes after main tensions between South Korea and the U.S. after greater than 400 South Korean employees have been arrested, detained and deported at a Hyundai plant in Georgia as a part of Trump’s immigration crackdown.
It got here after Hyundai poured billions into the manufacturing unit to align with Trump’s imaginative and prescient of producing in America with a view to keep away from the brunt of Trump’s tariff insurance policies.
The episode induced uncertainty concerning the capacity of corporations to get employees into the U.S. to construct and function manufacturing crops with out comparable incidents. Trump’s go to might be an opportunity to assuage unease amongst these corporations as he continues to courtroom funding within the U.S.
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney additionally is anticipated to attend APEC and the opposite Asia conferences, and certainly one of Trump’s prime financial advisers mentioned Friday Trump and Carney will communicate whereas there about their latest tariff dispute.
Simply earlier than leaving for Asia, Trump abruptly ended commerce talks with Canada, saying he was offended a couple of TV advert put out by the province of Ontario that includes Ronald Reagan in 1987 criticizing tariffs. Trump claimed it was an try and “illegally affect” the U.S. Supreme Court docket, which is about to listen to arguments subsequent month over whether or not he has the ability to unilaterally impose tariffs.
His go to additionally comes simply days after he slapped extra sanctions on Russian oil corporations and continues to name on allies to drag again on purchases of Russian crude.
On Thursday, White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt mentioned these sanctions are already having an affect on, with China and India “scaling again” their contracts.
Although Trump isn’t any stranger to APEC and ASEAN summits, having attended many throughout his first time period, this go to might be his first main with Asian leaders throughout his second keep in workplace — as they attempt to navigate his typically unpredictable adjustments in commerce and international coverage.
