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In classic Trump fashion, the president couldn’t resist taking a jab at the United Nations for its lack of action in global peace efforts. “The United Nations should be doing this, but they don’t do it. They don’t do it. They turned off my teleprompter. When I made a speech, I had to make a speech without a teleprompter. They’re good at that. The escalator wasn’t working too well. It came to a complete halt,” he said to laughter.
Trump then pivoted back to the substance of his achievement, saying, “The United Nations has such great potential. I wish they could do it. They didn’t get involved with us at all. We just did the deal and reported the deal, and everybody was sort of amazed that we got it done so quickly and so nicely.”
The agreement between Cambodia and Thailand includes a formal military withdrawal from the contested border region and the exchange of prisoners of war. The fighting that erupted in July had involved heavy artillery and rocket fire, leaving at least 66 people dead.
“I shouldn’t say it’s a hobby, because it’s so much more serious than a hobby, but it’s something that I’m good at, and it’s something I love to do,” Trump said, reflecting on his role as peacemaker.
Trump hinted that this is only the beginning. He mentioned ongoing discussions to ease tensions between Pakistan and Taliban factions along the Afghanistan border and reaffirmed his commitment to helping end the Russia-Ukraine war. “I heard that Pakistan and Afghanistan have started up. But I’ll get that solved very quickly,” he promised.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim lightened the mood at the ceremony, joking with Trump: “We share lots of things in common. I was in prison, but you almost got there.” The quip drew laughter from the crowd — and from Trump himself.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet went a step further, praising Trump’s leadership and announcing plans to nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize. Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul echoed the sentiment, offering his “sincere appreciation” to Trump for ending the months-long border crisis.
Following the peace accord in July, Trump had already lowered tariffs for Cambodia and Thailand to 19% — down from the punitive rates he had previously threatened. The new trade deals inked this weekend slash those rates even further and extend similar benefits to Malaysia.
In exchange, Cambodia agreed to purchase 10 Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft for its national airline — a move that will boost American manufacturing and jobs back home.
While the White House has not yet released the full details of the new tariff structure, officials hinted that some products could see duties reduced to “zero percent.” They also noted that similar arrangements have already been made with Vietnam, which finalized its own trade pact with the U.S. earlier this year.
Trump’s rapid-fire diplomacy — dismissed by critics as impossible — has once again defied expectations. In just one day, he managed to pull together trade deals, secure peace between two warring nations, and strengthen America’s position in Asia.
It’s another signature Trump victory — one that reinforces his claim that, unlike global bureaucracies, “America First” leadership still gets the job done.
