Trump confident US to seal deal with Philippines
White House Talks signal trade deal close to finalisation
Donald Trump reassured Filipino premier Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that a robust trade agreement is in the last stages, quoting a meeting in the Oval Office.
Trump announced the Philippines, once a U.S. colony and a steadfast ally, was among the countries threatened by tariff warnings last month.
Key points from the Oval Office meeting
- “We’re very close to finishing a trade deal,” Trump told Marcos, noting “a big deal” would ease alleged U.S. tariffs.
- Marcos was described by the former president as a tough negotiator, with Trump admitting the Philippine counterpart would be “maximising tough trade talks”.
- Despite high tensions, Trump asserted the two nations would ultimately reach an agreement, “We’ll probably agree on something,” Trump said.
Trade rift amid strong defense ties
In August, the U.S. issued tariff warnings of 20 percent on all goods from the Philippines, up from a previous 17 percent threat.
This trade row sits beside a U.S. defense partnership that has grown in response to Chinese activities in the South China Sea.
Defense cooperation highlights
- After the 1992 closure of the Subic Bay naval base, the U.S. deployed ground‑launched missiles in the Philippines last year.
- Washington eyed ammunition manufacturing in the Philippines, signalling a modernization push of the Philippine military.
- Marcos stressed the Philippines’ defence strategy is a “response to circumstances surrounding the South China Sea” and that the United States remains a dependable ally.
South China Sea confrontation
China and the Philippines have engaged in a series of confrontations in contested waters, with Beijing claiming almost all of the area. An international ruling, however, declared the claim has no legal basis.
