Indonesia’s new President Prabowo Subianto posted a video of his phone call congratulating Donald Trump on his reelection, during which the former special forces commander referenced his American “training” and called the US-president elect “sir” multiple times.
Prabowo, who is in Washington for an official visit, posted the almost three-minute phone conversation on his official social media channels Monday and said he would like to “call personally” on Trump.
“Wherever you are I’m willing to fly to congratulate you personally, sir,” Prabowo said in the video.
Trump can be heard replying, “That’s so nice. We’ll do that anytime you want.”
The US president-elect said he was “proud” of Prabowo for doing a “great job” in Indonesia, telling his counterpart, “your English is so good.”
“All my training is American, sir,” Prabowo replied, in an apparent reference to the officer training he received in the United States in the 1980s.
Prabowo’s office said the Indonesian president arrived in Washington, DC on Sunday and will meet with President Joe Biden on Tuesday at the White House.
A White House press statement confirmed the visit, saying the two leaders will “celebrate the 75th anniversary of US-Indonesian relations” and “explore ways to strengthen US-Indonesian cooperation.”
It is not clear whether Prabowo will meet with Trump while he’s in the US.
Since reclaiming the White House last week, Trump has maintained a frenetic schedule as world leaders call to congratulate and court the incoming US leader, with analysts scrutinizing who will clinch a first meeting.
In the call, Prabowo expressed shock over the attempted assassination of Trump earlier this year and repeated that he’d like to call on the president-elect “at your convenience, sir.”
“You’re a very respected person, and I give you credit for that. It’s not easy,” Trump told Prabowo. “You call anytime you want. It’s my great honor to talk to you and I’ll see you soon.”
Prabowo, 73, vowed to make Indonesia more self-sufficient when he took the reins of the world’s third-largest democracy in October.
During the Cold War Indonesia was a key – and controversial – member of the US-led anti-Soviet bloc, a period that saw the Indonesian military carry out huge anti-communist purges and massacres.
In more recent decades the Southeast Asian country has adopted a foreign policy of non-alignment, which means it does not side with one bloc or power on global affairs. But the resource-rich nation, which has the world’s largest nickel reserves, is also seen as a big prize for influence in Asia.
Prabowo’s visit to the US comes on the heels of his state to Beijing at the weekend, where he held bilateral talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and other high-ranking officials.
The president chose China as his first official overseas visit since taking office, and a joint statement after the leaders’ meeting promoted the strengthening of cooperation and advancing their strategic partnership.
The two countries also inked deals worth $10 billion spanning green energy, technology, food and biotechnology, according to Reuters.
Prabowo’s China and US trip is part of a five-nation tour that will include a stop in Peru to attend the Asia-Pacific Cooperation forum and Brazil for the G20 summit. Before returning to Jakarta, Prabowo is also scheduled to meet with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London, according to Indonesia’s state-run Antara News Agency.
Prabowo’s election to lead the nation of 280 million people underscored a remarkable transformation of the former military commander.
Prabowo, who served as defense minister for five years under his predecessor Joko Widodo, is known for his fiery speeches, military background and combative past.
He was banned from the US in 1998 after he was dismissed from the military over alleged human rights violations, following the fall of the late dictator Suharto, his former father-in-law. The ban was later waived.
In February, as votes were being counted, Prabowo held a news conference promoting the values of democracy from his home on the outskirts of Jakarta.
“The most important objective of democracy is giving people the leaders and representatives they want,” Prabowo told reporters from his swimming pool. “I hope all parties understand the greater goal.”
