Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has extended an official invitation to U.S. President Donald Trump to attend the 47th ASEAN Summit and the East Asia Summit in October 2025, with the invitation conveyed through US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during his visit to Kuala Lumpur.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that discussions are underway regarding Trump's potential attendance, stating "It's possible. Yes. We are working on getting a date for that (ASEAN-US Special Summit)" during the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting.
Malaysia is serving as ASEAN Chair for 2025, positioning the country to host these crucial diplomatic summits that will bring together leaders from Southeast Asian nations and key global partners.
Rubio emphasized the importance of U.S.–ASEAN relationships, stating that these are "important and comprehensive economic and defence cooperation partnerships that the United States will never abandon" and that the U.S. seeks to expand and build upon decades of established relationships.
The potential summit comes amid ongoing discussions about U.S. tariff policies affecting ASEAN countries, with Rubio noting that many ASEAN nations will have new tariff rates that are "actually better than some countries in other parts of the world" starting August 1.
