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Monday, February 17, 2025

PH-US ties ‘ironclad’ despite Trump’s foreign aid review

The United States government under the newly-installed Trump administration reaffirmed its “ironclad” alliance with longtime ally the Philippines during a recent phone conversation between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo.

The reassurance of continued support and collaboration came even as President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing a 90-day suspension on all US foreign assistance programs pending reviews to determine whether they are aligned with his policy goals.

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Trump has been known for questioning alliances, including NATO, claiming that allied nations treat the United States unfairly by not paying more for their defense.

“No further United States foreign assistance shall be disbursed in a manner that is not fully aligned with the foreign policy of the President of the United States,” Trump wrote in the EO.

It can be recalled that during his confirmation hearing last week, Rubio declared that “every dollar we spend, every program we fund, and every policy we pursue must be justified with the answer to three simple questions: Does it make America safer? Does it make America stronger? Does it make America more prosperous?” A White House official said Rubio and Manalo explored opportunities to strengthen economic cooperation and people-to-people ties, while also addressing “issues of mutual concern,” including China’s aggression and destabilizing actions in the South China Sea [West Philippine Sea].

“Secretary Rubio conveyed that the PRC’s behavior undermines regional peace and stability and is inconsistent with international law,” US State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce stated.

“The Secretary underscored the United States’ ironclad commitments to the Philippines under our Mutual Defense Treaty. The Secretaries also exchanged views on ways to advance security cooperation, expand economic ties for shared prosperity, and deepen avenues for further regional cooperation,” she added.

Rubio, a longtime hawk on China, discussed the “dangerous and destabilizing actions in the South China Sea” by Beijing, formally known as the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

Rubio made the call with his Philippine counterpart a day after a veiled warning to Beijing on the South China Sea during a four-way meeting with his counterparts from India, Japan, and Australia. With AFP

Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline: “US-Philippines ties ‘ironclad’ under Trump administration”

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