What Is on Prabowo's Agenda in the United States?
President Prabowo Subianto departed for a state visit to the United States on Monday, 16 February 2026. Prabowo, accompanied by a limited entourage including Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya, took off from Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base in East Jakarta bound for Washington D.C.
In the United States, Prabowo has a number of engagements with US President Donald Trump. "This visit forms part of Indonesia's active diplomatic efforts to strengthen its national position amid global geopolitical dynamics," read a statement from the Presidential Secretariat regarding Prabowo's departure.
Prabowo is scheduled to attend at least two key events during this visit. In addition to holding a bilateral meeting with Trump, Prabowo will also attend the Board of Peace Summit in Washington.
**Bilateral Meeting with Trump**
Prabowo and Trump will sign the final document of reciprocal trade negotiations, known as the Agreements on Reciprocal Trade (ART), during their bilateral meeting. "The plan is for the signing of the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade to take place," said Haryo Limanseto, spokesperson for the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs.
A number of substantive points from the negotiation document have been agreed upon and discussed during the legal drafting harmonisation process. Under the framework of the agreement, Indonesia has committed to eliminating import duties on the majority of products originating from the United States.
The US, for its part, will reduce reciprocal tariffs on Indonesian products from 32 per cent to 19 per cent. The US has also committed to granting tariff exemptions for several of Indonesia's key export commodities, including crude palm oil (CPO), coffee, and cocoa. The tariff exemptions apply to Indonesian export products that cannot be produced by the United States.
Agreement on the substantive elements of the ART was reached following an official meeting between Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and United States Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer on Monday, 22 December 2025, in Washington D.C.
The Agreement on Reciprocal Trade is a bilateral trade contract. Beyond the signing of the trade agreement between Prabowo and Trump, the agenda will also facilitate a business and investment forum for entrepreneurs from both nations.
The trade agreement originated from the US decision to impose a 32 per cent import tariff on Indonesia in early April 2025. The Indonesian government's tariff negotiation team then conducted intensive talks with the US government. As a result, in July 2025, President Trump announced a reciprocal tariff for Indonesia of 19 per cent.
**Inaugural Board of Peace Summit**
President Prabowo also plans to attend the Board of Peace Summit, an organisation conceived by US President Donald Trump as a shadow body to the United Nations. When the Board of Peace was established on 22 January 2026 in Davos, Switzerland, Prabowo signed the organisation's charter.
Now, less than a month after its formation, heads of state from Board of Peace member nations will attend the inaugural summit at the Institute of Peace in Washington on Thursday, 19 February. The gathering is reportedly aimed at advancing the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire and raising funds for the reconstruction of war-affected Palestinian territories.
One issue attracting attention ahead of the summit is the financial contribution expected from Board of Peace member states. Under the Board of Peace charter, member nations must pay US$1 billion — equivalent to approximately Rp16.7 trillion — to secure permanent membership.
Indonesia has not yet paid this contribution. However, Foreign Minister Sugiono and Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa have expressed the government's openness to participating in paying the Board of Peace financial contribution.
Ahead of the Washington summit, Donald Trump claimed that Board of Peace member states had pledged more than US$5 billion — equivalent to approximately Rp84 trillion — for Gaza reconstruction. Board of Peace members are also preparing thousands of personnel for an international stabilisation force planned to be discussed during the Thursday meeting in Washington.
"On 19 February 2026, I will once again join members of the Board of Peace at the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace in Washington, DC, where we will announce that member nations have pledged more than US$5 billion for humanitarian efforts and the reconstruction of Gaza," Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social, on Sunday, 15 February 2026.
This week marks the first time that the Board of Peace, established by Trump, will hold a meeting on Thursday, 19 February 2026 in the United States. Trump did not specify how many of the 20 council members would attend the meeting.
The Board of Peace was originally designed as a mechanism to end Israel's genocidal war in Gaza. The Trump-created council has since expanded in scope, with ambitions for a far broader mandate to resolve conflicts worldwide. Several key US allies have refused to join the council, including a number of European nations.
In the United States, Prabowo has a number of engagements with US President Donald Trump. "This visit forms part of Indonesia's active diplomatic efforts to strengthen its national position amid global geopolitical dynamics," read a statement from the Presidential Secretariat regarding Prabowo's departure.
Prabowo is scheduled to attend at least two key events during this visit. In addition to holding a bilateral meeting with Trump, Prabowo will also attend the Board of Peace Summit in Washington.
**Bilateral Meeting with Trump**
Prabowo and Trump will sign the final document of reciprocal trade negotiations, known as the Agreements on Reciprocal Trade (ART), during their bilateral meeting. "The plan is for the signing of the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade to take place," said Haryo Limanseto, spokesperson for the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs.
A number of substantive points from the negotiation document have been agreed upon and discussed during the legal drafting harmonisation process. Under the framework of the agreement, Indonesia has committed to eliminating import duties on the majority of products originating from the United States.
The US, for its part, will reduce reciprocal tariffs on Indonesian products from 32 per cent to 19 per cent. The US has also committed to granting tariff exemptions for several of Indonesia's key export commodities, including crude palm oil (CPO), coffee, and cocoa. The tariff exemptions apply to Indonesian export products that cannot be produced by the United States.
Agreement on the substantive elements of the ART was reached following an official meeting between Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and United States Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer on Monday, 22 December 2025, in Washington D.C.
The Agreement on Reciprocal Trade is a bilateral trade contract. Beyond the signing of the trade agreement between Prabowo and Trump, the agenda will also facilitate a business and investment forum for entrepreneurs from both nations.
The trade agreement originated from the US decision to impose a 32 per cent import tariff on Indonesia in early April 2025. The Indonesian government's tariff negotiation team then conducted intensive talks with the US government. As a result, in July 2025, President Trump announced a reciprocal tariff for Indonesia of 19 per cent.
**Inaugural Board of Peace Summit**
President Prabowo also plans to attend the Board of Peace Summit, an organisation conceived by US President Donald Trump as a shadow body to the United Nations. When the Board of Peace was established on 22 January 2026 in Davos, Switzerland, Prabowo signed the organisation's charter.
Now, less than a month after its formation, heads of state from Board of Peace member nations will attend the inaugural summit at the Institute of Peace in Washington on Thursday, 19 February. The gathering is reportedly aimed at advancing the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire and raising funds for the reconstruction of war-affected Palestinian territories.
One issue attracting attention ahead of the summit is the financial contribution expected from Board of Peace member states. Under the Board of Peace charter, member nations must pay US$1 billion — equivalent to approximately Rp16.7 trillion — to secure permanent membership.
Indonesia has not yet paid this contribution. However, Foreign Minister Sugiono and Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa have expressed the government's openness to participating in paying the Board of Peace financial contribution.
Ahead of the Washington summit, Donald Trump claimed that Board of Peace member states had pledged more than US$5 billion — equivalent to approximately Rp84 trillion — for Gaza reconstruction. Board of Peace members are also preparing thousands of personnel for an international stabilisation force planned to be discussed during the Thursday meeting in Washington.
"On 19 February 2026, I will once again join members of the Board of Peace at the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace in Washington, DC, where we will announce that member nations have pledged more than US$5 billion for humanitarian efforts and the reconstruction of Gaza," Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social, on Sunday, 15 February 2026.
This week marks the first time that the Board of Peace, established by Trump, will hold a meeting on Thursday, 19 February 2026 in the United States. Trump did not specify how many of the 20 council members would attend the meeting.
The Board of Peace was originally designed as a mechanism to end Israel's genocidal war in Gaza. The Trump-created council has since expanded in scope, with ambitions for a far broader mandate to resolve conflicts worldwide. Several key US allies have refused to join the council, including a number of European nations.