President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and United States President Donald Trump held a phone call on Thursday evening, July 23, to exchange views on global economic trends and regional security issues, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) announced.
The high-level conversation came shortly after President Marcos met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at Malacañang on Wednesday to discuss recent incidents in the South China Sea.
During the call, Trump assured Marcos that he would raise the Philippines’ security concerns in his scheduled September meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington.
US Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Lipton highlighted the conversation on X, sharing his optimism for continued direct communication between the two leaders.
”One of my goals as US Ambassador to the Philippines is to ensure our two leaders are regularly in touch with each other,” Lipton said.
”Great things ahead!” he added.
The discussion underlines the ongoing strategic engagement between Manila and Washington as both nations strengthen cooperation across the Indo-Pacific.
During the prior Wednesday meeting at Malacañang, Marcos briefed Rubio on the situation in the South China Sea, where tense encounters between Philippine and Chinese vessels have persisted.
Both allies continue to uphold their commitments under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty while expanding joint efforts in defense, maritime security, and economic development.