President Trump was back in Washington on Tuesday, following a quick trip to the Middle East. But now there are some new questions about another set of travel plans scheduled for later this month — a trip that would come much closer to Hawaiʻi.
The diplomatic calendar is getting crowded in the Asia Pacific, with a lot of questions about the plans of President Trump.
He's now looking at three potential regional stops — with three sets of questions.
In less than two weeks, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will hold a summit in Malaysia.
Expectations are that President Trump will be there, although Politico reports he now wants to host a signing ceremony for a peace deal between Thailand and Cambodia — underlining his participation in ceasefire talks.
Without that ceremony, Trump may not attend.
Next would be a stop in Tokyo to meet with the new prime minister. Thatʻs likely still on track, but now has a new wrinkle.
While the countryʻs biggest political party has chosen its new leader, the next step in electing a new prime minister has been complicated and delayed by the collapse of Japan's ruling political coalition.
The trip's highlight would be a set of meetings in South Korea, including with South Korea's president, Lee Jae Myung, and potentially with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
In just a few days, trade tensions between the U.S. and China have sharpened and eased, not based on policy action, just on political rhetoric, still enough to spark tension and to move markets.
