Prabowo Flies to Washington to Seal Trade Deal With Trump

JAKARTA, Investortrust.id — President Prabowo Subianto departs for Washington on Monday, Feb 16, 2026 to meet U.S. President Donald Trump and finalize a reciprocal trade agreement aimed at cutting tariffs and expanding market access, a move officials say will strengthen Indonesia’s bargaining position in a volatile global economy. The visit comes as Jakarta seeks to lock in lower U.S. import duties and secure exemptions for key export commodities while reinforcing broader strategic ties.

Prabowo left from Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base in Jakarta accompanied by Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya. The limited delegation underscored the high stakes of the negotiations, which had been consolidated hours earlier at the president’s private residence in Hambalang, Bogor.

On Sunday afternoon, Prabowo gathered senior economic ministers in Hambalang to align final positions before the Washington trip. Among those present were Coordinating Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto, Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi, and Investment and Downstream Minister Rosan Roeslani.

The agreement on reciprocal trade, known as ART, is scheduled to be signed around Wednesday, Feb 19, 2026, coinciding with Prabowo’s attendance at the Board of Peace summit in the United States. Indonesian officials described the accord as the culmination of months of tariff negotiations and legal harmonization between the two governments.

“President plans to attend the event on Feb 19, and around that date there will also be a signing of the agreement on reciprocal trade,” Airlangga said after a cabinet meeting last week. He added that tariff reductions had already been secured.

“We have brought tariffs down from 32 percent to 19 percent, and there are other matters that we are still waiting to finalize 100 percent,” he said, urging patience as the process concludes.

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Under the draft framework, Indonesia committed to eliminating import duties on most U.S. products. In return, Washington agreed to reduce reciprocal tariffs on Indonesian goods to 19 percent and grant exemptions for several flagship exports, including crude palm oil, coffee, and cocoa.

“Negotiations on tariffs have been completed, and both countries have finalized the legal drafting process,” said Haryo Limanseto, spokesperson for the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs. He described the agreement as legally ready for signature.

Each diplomatic step, officials insisted, had been calibrated to protect domestic industry while widening global access. “Every economic diplomacy effort is directed to deliver concrete benefits for Indonesia, particularly in increasing industrial productivity, expanding market access, and strengthening Indonesia’s position in global supply chains,” Haryo said.

Behind the scenes, Prabowo pressed ministers to ensure the final text served national interests. “The government is directed to ensure Indonesia’s bargaining position remains strong and does not harm national interests,” Haryo said, quoting the president’s instruction during the Hambalang meeting.

Officials framed the Washington visit as more than a tariff negotiation. Alongside the ART signing, Indonesian and U.S. business leaders are expected to hold investment meetings aimed at deepening trade flows and supply-chain cooperation.

For Prabowo, who has cast economic diplomacy as central to his administration’s agenda, the trip signals a bid to project Indonesia as both a reliable trade partner and an assertive emerging economy. The outcome of the talks could shape export competitiveness and investor sentiment at a moment when global trade tensions remain unsettled.