Prabowo, Trump Hold 15-Minute Call to Reaffirm Ties and Global Stability Commitment

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[The article has been updated at Friday, June 13, 2025 at 18:01 WIB to include a statement from Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya]

JAKARTA, Investortrust.id — President Prabowo Subianto received a phone call from U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday night, signaling a revival of personal communication between the two leaders as bilateral trade tensions loom.

In a post on his official Instagram account, Prabowo shared a photo of himself on the call, writing, “Today I received a phone call from the President of the United States, Donald Trump.”

In a subsequent statement released on Friday, Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya said Prabowo Subianto and Trump on Thursday evening, disccused bilateral relations and current developments in both countries in a 15-minute conversation described as warm and constructive.

“Both leaders exchanged greetings and updates on the latest developments in their respective countries,” said Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya in a statement released Friday.

The phone call marked the latest in a series of communications between the two leaders, who last spoke in November 2024 shortly after Trump’s election victory and during Prabowo’s visit to Washington.

According to Wijaya, Prabowo and Trump agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and the United States and emphasized their mutual support for maintaining global peace and stability.

“As leaders of two major nations, they reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing cooperation and expressed strong support for efforts to uphold peace and stability worldwide,” said the Cabinet Secretary.

President Prabowo also reiterated his congratulations to Trump on his re-election, while Trump extended his own congratulations to Prabowo for becoming the eighth president of Indonesia.

Curious Timing

The timing of the call is notable. It came just within hours of Bloomberg report about Israel launching airstrikes against Iran, targeting key military, missile, and nuclear facilities. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that the strikes focused on “nuclear, military, and ballistic missile infrastructure” in Iran.

The Israeli government has reportedly placed its defense forces on high alert, anticipating a retaliatory response from Tehran. While the U.S. government has officially denied involvement in the Israeli operation, it had earlier ordered the evacuation of its embassy staff from Baghdad—a move that underscores concerns over potential Iranian retaliation or proxy escalations across the region.

Israel’s actions follow mounting tensions around the collapse of nuclear talks with Iran. Notably, Tel Aviv had previously warned it might target American military assets in the region should the U.S. initiate aggression following a breakdown in the nuclear agreement.

Regional Diplomacy

Against this backdrop, Prabowo’s renewed communication with Trump has fueled speculation about regional diplomacy and coordination. 

The exchange marked the second publicly known communication between Prabowo and Trump in less than a year. Their last contact took place in November 2024, when Prabowo—then President-elect—visited Washington D.C. to meet then-U.S. President Joe Biden. During that trip, he also phoned Trump to congratulate him on his election victory.

In that earlier call, Prabowo expressed interest in meeting Trump in person, while Trump praised Prabowo’s leadership and shared his intent to visit Indonesia.

The renewed contact also comes at a critical time for U.S.-Indonesia relations, as Trump’s administration moves forward with a reciprocal tariff policy that could affect several Indonesian exports. In response, Prabowo has deployed a high-level delegation led by Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto to negotiate trade terms with U.S. counterparts in Washington.

While the call’s tone and timing suggest a continuation of warm personal rapport, it remains unclear whether the leaders discussed substantive economic issues, including trade or security cooperation.