Foreign Minister Sugiono Clarifies: Prabowo Never Planned Israel Visit, Viral Trump Conversation Was Informal
Key Takeaways
|
JAKARTA, Investortrust.id — Foreign Minister Sugiono has clarified that President Prabowo Subianto never planned to visit Israel after his official engagement in Egypt, countering media reports that circulated during the Gaza Peace Summit in Sharm El-Sheikh.
“There was never any plan to visit Israel,” Sugiono said firmly at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base, Jakarta, on Tuesday, Oct 14, 2025. He stressed that Prabowo’s visit to Egypt focused exclusively on witnessing the signing of the Gaza peace agreement, not any other bilateral or informal agenda.
The minister also dismissed claims that Prabowo was upset by Israeli media coverage suggesting he had canceled a planned visit in protest. “There was no anger at all. We were focused on the signing ceremony, which actually began around 6 or 7 p.m. after a long series of preparatory discussions,” Sugiono said.
Israeli outlet The Times of Israel had earlier reported that Prabowo would arrive in Israel following his participation at the Sharm El-Sheikh summit, describing it as “the first visit by an Indonesian head of state.” The story was later amended after official denials from Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, though the follow-up report claimed the trip was canceled due to Prabowo’s supposed displeasure with the coverage.
Sugiono said he could not determine the intent behind such reporting, adding, “I do not know whether it was propaganda or not, but from the beginning our plan was to return home right after the summit.”
During the same media briefing, Sugiono also addressed another viral issue — a leaked recording of President Prabowo’s conversation with former U.S. President Donald Trump at the Gaza Peace Summit. The conversation, captured by a live microphone, had drawn attention on social media after snippets mentioned a possible meeting with Trump’s son, Eric Trump.
Sugiono clarified that the exchange was purely informal. “It was just a friendly chat between two leaders who know each other well,” he said. “President Prabowo often talks privately with other heads of state. His relationship with President Trump is close, and they can talk about many things beyond formal diplomatic matters.”
When asked about the mention of Eric Trump or an individual named Hari in the leaked recording, Sugiono replied, “I don’t know what they discussed. I haven’t heard the full content of the recording.”
He added that the conversation did not contain anything extraordinary and that Prabowo regularly interacts casually with fellow leaders while waiting for summit sessions. “He spoke with many heads of state during the long waiting period. If there’s anything that needs to be followed up officially, the President will inform me,” Sugiono said.
The Gaza Peace Summit, held at the International Congress Centre in Sharm El-Sheikh on Monday, Oct 13, 2025, culminated in the signing of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Palestinian representatives. President Prabowo attended the event alongside several world leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and representatives from the United Nations and Arab League.