President Trump’s week-long trip to Malaysia, Japan and South Korea was a show of diplomatic glamor amid fears the nation’s government shutdown would be the longest on record.
President Trump and Chinese President Xi meet in South Korea
President Donald Trump concluded his five-day trip to Asia with a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea.
- President Trump agreed to lower tariffs on China in exchange for restarting exports of agricultural products, cuts to chemicals used to make fentanyl, and access to rare earth minerals.
- President Trump agreed to lower tariffs on South Korea in exchange for billions of dollars in U.S. investment.
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump returned from a week-long tour of Asia, touting trade deals with China and South Korea to strengthen regional cooperation while threatening to resume nuclear weapons testing after a decades-long hiatus to keep pace with his military rivals.
The second-term Republican’s trips to Malaysia, Japan and South Korea included numerous meetings with foreign leaders. The extravaganza included President Trump receiving a pledge of support for the Nobel Peace Prize from Japan’s new prime minister and receiving the nation’s highest honor, the Golden Crown, from South Korea.
But the trip coincided with the longest federal government shutdown in history on Nov. 5. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said on social media that trade negotiations over tariffs are a “failure” that will hurt farmers and manufacturers. President Trump responded on social media, calling the criticism “almost treasonous!!!”
Here’s a look at seven of the most important moments from President Trump’s tour, and where tariffs and international relations are headed.
President Trump lowers tariffs on China in exchange for agriculture and electronics trade
On October 30, President Trump announced that he had reached an agreement with Chinese President Xi Jinping to restore China as its largest customer for U.S. soybeans, curb exports of chemicals used to make fentanyl, and lift export restrictions on rare earth minerals, which are essential to electronic devices such as cell phones and computers.
In return, President Trump agreed to reduce broad tariffs that have been used as a weapon against fentanyl from 20% to 10%. Various other tariffs will continue at 45% to 47% on certain Chinese imports. He said a final trade deal would be signed “in the near future.”
“We have an agreement, and we’re going to renegotiate the agreement every year from now on,” President Trump told reporters on an Air Force plane upon his return to the United States on October 30. “But I think the deal will last for a long time, well beyond a year, and we will be negotiating at the end of the year.”
Xi said the two sides had reached an agreement to resolve “major trade issues,” according to a readout of Xi’s remarks carried by state media Xinhua news agency.
The trade deal reflected both countries’ withdrawal from a trade war that has disrupted financial markets and threatened to halt commerce between the two countries. President Trump imposed tariffs on the country’s third-largest trading partner, but China retaliated by refusing to buy soybeans and restricting exports of rare earth minerals.
President Trump visited China in April, and President Xi said he would visit the United States at some point thereafter.
President Trump lowers tariffs on South Korea in exchange for US investment
President Trump announced on October 29 that he had “nearly finalized” a trade deal with South Korea that he said would bring $350 billion in investment to the United States, including the construction of nuclear submarines at a Philadelphia shipyard.
In return, President Trump agreed to reduce tariffs on South Korean imports from 25% to 15%, bringing the country’s trade status on par with Japan’s.
“We have reached conclusions on a number of very different items,” President Trump said at a dinner with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and other regional leaders on October 29.
The White House promoted the investment deal on social media on Oct. 29, but many companies had already announced deals weeks or months before his visit.
For example, the White House announced that Korean Air will buy 103 Boeing aircraft worth $36.2 billion and GE Aerospace engines for $13.7 billion. However, Boeing announced the sale on August 25th and GE on March 26th. HD Hyundai and Cerberus Capital Management will partner on a $5 billion investment program to modernize U.S. shipyards. Hyundai Motor announced the investment on August 27th.
President Trump announces resumption of nuclear weapons testing
On October 29, shortly before his meeting with Xi, President Trump announced that the United States would resume nuclear weapons testing “immediately,” ending a decades-long moratorium on nuclear weapons testing in an effort to align with China.
Former President George H.W. Bush suspended nuclear weapons testing 33 years ago. The United States signed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty in 1996 during President Bill Clinton’s first term, but the Senate voted against ratifying the treaty.
Although China and Russia have upgraded their historic nuclear test sites in recent years, only North Korea has detonated a nuclear weapon since 1998.
In social media posts, President Trump touted the progress made in modernizing the country’s nuclear arsenal during his first term. But he warned that China’s nuclear weapons buildup would put its arsenal on par with those of the United States and Russia “within five years.”
“Due to other countries’ nuclear testing programs, I have directed the Department of the Army to begin testing our nuclear weapons equally,” Trump said. “That process will begin immediately.”
Asked on his flight home from Asia if the world was entering a more risky environment, Trump said he didn’t think so.
“I think it’s pretty well locked down,” the president said. “But I see them testing. I said, “I think they will test, we need to test too.”
The Supreme Court will hear the tariff case on November 5th, with President Trump likely to attend.
The Supreme Court will hear arguments on November 5 over whether President Trump has the authority to impose tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977.
A lower court ruled that it overstepped its authority under the law, which has historically been used to impose economic sanctions and other penalties on foreign enemies.
In a 7-4 decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit said, “Although the Act provides the President with significant authority to take a number of actions in response to a declared national emergency, these actions do not expressly include the power to impose tariffs, tariffs, or the like, or to levy taxes.”
But President Trump insists the tariffs are so important that he may attend oral arguments in person. The tariffs are projected to generate $4 trillion over the next 10 years. President Trump has been wielding them like a club to get better trade deals with other countries.
“If we are not allowed to use what others use against us, we have no defense,” Trump told reporters on October 15. “That would be a disaster for the United States.”
President Trump imposes high tariffs on Canadian imports due to President Reagan’s ad
Just two days after ending trade talks over a “deceptive” ad aired during a Toronto Blue Jays postseason game, President Trump said he would increase tariffs on products imported from Canada by “10% more than what we currently pay.”
According to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Canada will be the U.S.’s largest export destination and third-largest U.S. import destination in 2024.
President Trump announced the tariff hike on social media on October 25th while on a tour of Asia. He criticized an Ontario government commercial in which former President Ronald Reagan speaks negatively about tariffs.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said in a statement on Oct. 24 that the ads will air during Games 1 and 2 of the World Series, but will be paused afterward due to trade negotiations.
“We reached the highest level of American audiences and achieved our goals,” Ford said.
President Trump emphasizes international relations despite domestic turmoil
With the federal government shut down since Oct. 1, Trump has largely focused on international relations.
In September, President Trump spoke at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, slamming other countries for opening their borders and defending fossil fuels.
In early October, President Trump visited Israel as the remaining living hostages from the Hamas regime were being released. Speaking in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, he soaked in praise from the Middle East for brokering a ceasefire in Gaza.
President Trump’s trip to Asia from October 24 to 30 was his first trip to Asia during his second term, and featured meetings with other world leaders in Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea.
Upon his return, President Trump is scheduled to meet on November 6 with the leaders of five Central Asian countries (Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan) that have traditionally been in Russia’s sphere of influence.
Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov said on social media that trade, investment, education and innovation between the two countries were the reasons for the talks. In September, Uzbekistan Airways signed an $8 billion deal with Boeing to buy up to 22 787 Dreamliners.
Japan’s Prime Minister recommends President Trump as Nobel Peace Prize nominee
Japan’s new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, has joined the chorus of foreign leaders who have said they will nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.
White House press secretary Caroline Levitt said Takaichi told Trump he would nominate her. Through an interpreter, Takaichi told President Trump publicly that the world was “starting to enjoy more peace on earth” and praised Trump’s “unwavering commitment to global peace and stability.”
President Trump said he was worthy of the honor, but the award committee awarded the award to Venezuela’s opposition leader earlier this month.
The government of Pakistan, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, and the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan each support Trump’s award.
Previous recipients of the prestigious award include Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Jimmy Carter, and former President Barack Obama.
