Marcos congratulates Trump, vows Indo-Pacific cooperation

On January 21, Philippine President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. congratulated US President Donald Trump on his inauguration, emphasizing the strong alliance between their nations.

Marcos expressed his eagerness for close cooperation with Trump's administration to uphold shared goals of regional prosperity and security in a brief statement posted on X.

When Trump won the 2024 election, Marcos had already hinted at his intention to collaborate on issues beneficial to both countries given their longstanding relationship and shared interests in the Indo-Pacific region.

The stability of the South China Sea and the wider Indo-Pacific region amid China's expansionist agenda remains a key focus of Philippine-US relations.

Washington, which has a mutual defense treaty with Manila, continues to condemn China's intrusions into the Philippines' exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea.