KUALA LUMPUR. MALAYSIA – Oc 26, 2025
– U.S. President Donald Trump touched down in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday morning, marking the kickoff of his first major Asia tour since returning to the White House and injecting a dose of his trademark energy into the region’s diplomatic stage.
Air Force One landed at Sepang International Airport under a clear blue sky, where Trump was greeted by a vibrant display of Malaysian hospitality. A delegation of dignitaries, including Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, lined the red carpet alongside a troupe of traditional dancers clad in colorful sarongs and turbans, performing rhythmic welcomes with garlands and percussion. As the president descended the aircraft’s stairs, waving enthusiastically to the assembled crowd, he paused to salute the performers—before breaking into his signature shoulder-shimmy dance, drawing cheers and smiles from the onlookers.
The lighthearted moment, captured in a short video shared by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on X (formerly Twitter), quickly went viral, amassing thousands of likes and reposts within minutes. “MUST WATCH: President Trump has ARRIVED in Malaysia! 🇺🇸😁🕺🇲🇾,” Leavitt captioned the clip, highlighting Trump’s jovial arrival.
Trump’s visit is the first by a U.S. president to Malaysia in over a decade and centers on the 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit. The gathering, hosted in the Malaysian capital, brings together leaders from the 10-member bloc to discuss economic cooperation, regional security, and climate initiatives amid ongoing global tensions.
High on the agenda is Trump’s role in brokering a landmark peace agreement between Cambodia and Thailand, set to be signed during a ceremony at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center later today. The deal, aimed at resolving long-standing border disputes, has been hailed by U.S. officials as a “major win for stability in Southeast Asia.” In a statement ahead of the trip, Trump described the accord as “a huge step toward peace—the prize we’ve all been fighting for.”
The president is also slated for bilateral meetings with Anwar and other ASEAN heads of state, focusing on trade deals, countering Chinese influence in the South China Sea, and bolstering U.S. investments in the region. “America is back, stronger than ever, and ready to lead,” Trump told reporters en route from Washington, according to a White House pool report.
This Asia swing—Trump’s most ambitious foreign outing yet in his second term—will continue to Indonesia and Vietnam, where he plans to announce new infrastructure partnerships and energy collaborations. The trip comes at a pivotal time, as the U.S. navigates a fragile global economy and escalating rivalries with Beijing.
Malaysian officials expressed delight at the visit, with Anwar calling it a “new chapter in U.S.-Malaysia relations” in a pre-arrival statement. The warm reception underscores the personal rapport Trump has cultivated with Southeast Asian leaders, a contrast to the more formal diplomacy of his predecessor.
As the sun rose over the airport tarmac, Trump’s dance served as a fitting opener: a blend of showmanship and sincerity that has defined his presidency. With the summit underway, all eyes are on whether the energy from the runway will translate into concrete diplomatic breakthroughs.
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