Prabowo Surprised by Criticism Over Frequent Overseas Trips

President Prabowo Subianto feels bewildered by those who question the intensity of his overseas visits. He considers a head of state’s travel to various parts of the world to be normal.

Prabowo sees a contradiction in the criticisms regarding a president’s international trips. He noted that former president Joko Widodo was actually blamed for rarely going abroad during his tenure. “There was a president like Pak Jokowi, who rarely went overseas, and he was blamed, right? ‘Jokowi never goes abroad. Jokowi doesn’t care about foreign policy’,” Prabowo said during a speech at the National Conference of the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association (Hipmi) in Bandar Lampung on Wednesday, 10 June 2026, as broadcast by the Presidential Secretariat.

Conversely, Prabowo said, he who frequently goes abroad is also still made an issue. “I often go abroad, (they say) ‘Prabowo often goes abroad’. Strange,” said the Chairman of the Gerindra Party.

Nevertheless, Prabowo stated that he has no problem with the fuss over his overseas visits. “Noise always exists. The important thing is that we are sure of our line. As long as I am sure that I am working for the nation and the people of Indonesia, I will never waver,” he said.

According to Prabowo, the current global geopolitical situation is becoming chaotic. Because of this, he needs to go abroad and build good relations with everyone. “We do not know who is a friend, who is a foe,” he said.

The former defence minister said he is grateful that Indonesia inherited the non-aligned foreign policy principle from the nation’s founders. In this way, he said, Indonesia can be free and active in seeking friends on the international stage.

The intensity of Prabowo’s overseas visits was previously highlighted by various parties. One of them was the founder of the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI), Dino Patti Djalal, who conveyed advice to President Prabowo to reduce travelling abroad.

The former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs noted that during his presidency, Prabowo spent 1 out of every 6 days abroad. Thus, he is not surprised if some call these overseas official trips unusual.