Trump Threatens More Tariffs as Cambodia-Thailand Conflict Escalates
July 27, 2025 – Former U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to Cambodia and Thailand: end the fighting or face tougher trade sanctions. The ongoing conflict between the two Southeast Asian nations has entered its third day, claiming over 33 lives and displacing more than 168,000 people.
Speaking from his golf resort in Scotland, Trump said on Truth Social that he had direct conversations with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thailand’s acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai. “Both Parties are looking for an immediate Ceasefire and Peace,” Trump wrote, emphasizing that the U.S. will not resume trade talks until hostilities cease.
Trump has already imposed a 36% tariff on exports from both countries, effective August 1, and warned that further economic penalties could follow. He likened the situation to his previous interventions during the India-Pakistan standoff, where he claims trade pressure played a role in de-escalation—though Indian officials denied trade was ever discussed.
As tensions rise in Southeast Asia, Trump’s strategy of economic leverage once again takes center stage, potentially impacting regional stability and U.S. trade relations.