President Trump is scheduled to arrive soon in Japan, where new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is banking on building a friendly personal relationship with the U.S. leader to ease trade tensions. The meeting is an early diplomatic test for Takaichi, the first woman to lead Japan. She took office only last week and has a tenuous coalition backing her.
Mr. Trump spent Sunday in Malaysia, where he participated in a regional summit of Southeast Asian nations and reached preliminary trade agreements with Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. While en route to Japan, he returned to the press cabin on Air Force One along with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
Mr. Trump said he would talk about the “great friendship” between the U.S. and Japan during his visit. “I hear phenomenal things” about Takaichi, he said, noting her closeness with former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, with whom Mr. Trump had a good relationship during his first term. “It’s going to be very good,” he added. “That really helps Japan and the United States.”
Mr. Trump also expressed optimism about reaching a trade agreement with China. Officials from the world’s two largest economies said Sunday that they had reached an initial consensus for Mr. Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to try to finalize during a high-stakes meeting later in the week.
“I have a lot of respect for President Xi,” Mr. Trump told reporters on Air Force One. “I think we’re going to come away with a deal,” he said. He added that he might sign a final deal on TikTok on Thursday. Treasury Secretary Bessent said on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” that a TikTok deal announced last month is set to be finalized on Thursday during the Trump-Xi meeting.
After Japan, Trump’s Asian tour will conclude in South Korea, where he is expected to meet with Xi on the sidelines of the Pacific Rim summit, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.
On other matters, Mr. Trump rejected the possibility of running for vice president as a way to get back to the presidency, saying, “I’d be allowed to do it” but wouldn’t because “it’s too cute.” Steve Bannon, a Trump ally, has repeatedly said the president could serve a third term despite a constitutional prohibition. Mr. Trump himself has flirted with the idea but said on Air Force One, “I haven’t really thought about it.”
He praised Rubio and Vance as potential future Republican candidates. “I’m not sure if anybody would run against those two. I think if they ever formed a group, it would be unstoppable,” Mr. Trump said.
Mr. Trump also said he would be willing to extend his trip if there was a chance to talk to reclusive North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Since South Korea is the president’s last stop before returning to the U.S., “it’s pretty easy to do,” he noted.
Mr. Trump’s overtures to reconnect with Kim have gone unanswered. “If he wants to meet, I’ll be in South Korea,” Trump said.
There are many security issues in the region, including access to the South China Sea and the future of Taiwan. However, Mr. Trump’s focus has undoubtedly been on trade and his desire to realign the international economy under his vision of “America first.” For the most part, that means tariffs, or at least the threat of them.
Mr. Trump has frequently used taxes on imports from allies and adversaries alike in an effort to boost domestic manufacturing or seek more favorable terms. However, his unilateral power to enact tariffs remains contested. The president is awaiting a Supreme Court decision in a case that could solidify or limit his authority.
The president is flying to Tokyo from Kuala Lumpur, where he attended the annual summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). He participated in a ceremonial signing of an expanded ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia, which fought earlier this year. Trump helped pressure both countries to stop their conflict by threatening to withhold trade agreements.
The ASEAN summit wasn’t a guaranteed part of any president’s itinerary but served as an opportunity for Mr. Trump to reengage with a critical region for the first time since returning to office.
While on his way to Japan, Mr. Trump posted on Truth Social that Argentine President Javier Milei was “doing a wonderful job” as his party beat expectations in midterm elections. “Our confidence in him was justified by the People of Argentina,” Mr. Trump wrote.
Trump ally Milei essentially received a vote of confidence to pursue his policies aimed at breaking long-standing inflation and economic problems in Argentina. A libertarian seeking to unlock free-market forces, Milei has endeared himself to Mr. Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement with an appearance this year at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in the U.S.
The Trump administration provided a $20 billion credit swap line to bolster Milei ahead of the election and was looking to provide an additional $20 billion to support the value of Argentina’s peso.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-says-he-expects-to-reach-trade-deal-with-china-as-his-asia-trip-continues/