Rubio will travel from July 8 to 12 and participate in meetings in Kuala Lumpur with ASEAN’s 10 foreign ministers. He is also scheduled to meet with senior officials from the Malaysian government, the statement said.
The trip comes as the Trump administration seeks to reassure regional partners unsettled by US tariffs and its “America First” approach. The visit highlights Washington’s renewed focus on the Indo-Pacific, which the administration has declared a strategic priority over conflict zones in the Middle East and Europe.
“Top topics that he’s going to want to hit, obviously, are to reaffirm our commitment to East Asia, to ASEAN, to the Indo-Pacific,” a senior State Department official told reporters.
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“A key message the secretary likes to deliver is that we’re committed and we prioritize it because it is in America’s interests — it promotes American prosperity and security.”
The official said trade would likely feature in Rubio’s discussions, echoing White House and US Trade Representative messaging on the need to rebalance trade relationships.
ASEAN countries have expressed concern over the Trump administration’s tariff policies and its commitment to deeper diplomatic and economic ties in the region.
“There is a hunger to be reassured that the US actually views the Indo-Pacific as the primary theater of U.S. interests, key to US national security,” said Greg Poling, director of the Southeast Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Trade tensions and bricks warning
On Sunday, President Trump said the US was close to finalizing several trade agreements and would notify countries by July 9 of higher tariff rates, to take effect on August 1. He also issued a warning to BRICS nations meeting in Brazil, threatening a 10% tariff on countries aligning with “anti-American” policies.
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The BRICS bloc includes ASEAN member Indonesia, as well as China and India.
Last week, Trump announced a trade agreement with Vietnam, a key ASEAN member, and said a deal with India could follow. However, he cast doubt on a potential agreement with Japan, despite its role as a top Indo-Pacific ally and major US trade partner.
Absent visits and diplomatic push
Rubio has yet to visit Japan or South Korea — the United States’ key allies in Northeast Asia — since assuming office in January, despite the administration’s stated Indo-Pacific focus and concerns over China’s growing influence.
South Korean presidential security adviser Wi Sung-lac arrived in Washington on Sunday for trade and defense talks. His office said he would remain in the US until Tuesday, aiming to meet with Rubio and discuss the possibility of a summit between President Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, who took office last month.