*Administration of Donald J. Trump, 2019 *

**Remarks on Signing a Memorandum of Understanding on Defense Cooperation With Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore in New York City **

*September 23, 2019 *

*President Trump.* Well, thank you very much. We are close friends with Singapore and with Prime Minister Lee, and we've gotten to know each other very well.

And we're signing a memorandum of defense, an—really, an understanding. And it's a very strong understanding. We know where we are. We have an extraordinary relationship with Singapore and with the Prime Minister.

And we're going to be—there'll be a lot of trade involved in our agreement today. We're going to be doing a lot of trade, a lot of military equipment, et cetera, et cetera. So I just want to thank you, Mr. Prime Minister.

*Prime Minister Lee.* Thank you, Mr. President.

*President Trump.* And a great honor to be with you. It's a great honor.

*Prime Minister Lee.* Thank you.

*President Trump.* Thank you.

*Prime Minister Lee.* I'd like to thank the President for signing this memorandum with me, updating our memorandum on defense cooperation between Singapore and the United States. We've had this since 1990.

*President Trump.* Right.

*Prime Minister Lee.* We've updated it once before in 2005, and we're very happy to update it once more to extend for the next 15 years at least.

*President Trump.* That's right.

*Prime Minister Lee.* It reflects our very good cooperation in defense matters between the United States and Singapore and also the broader cooperation we have in so many other fields: in security, in economics, in counterterrorism, and in culture and education as well.

*President Trump.* That's right.

*Prime Minister Lee.* So we are very happy with our relationship. We hope to grow it. And we hope that it will also be a means for the U.S. to deepen its engagement in Southeast Asia and in the Asia-Pacific region.

*President Trump.* Very good. Well, it's an honor. Thank you very much.

*Prime Minister Lee.* Thank you. Now we sign.

[*At this point, the President and Prime Minister Lee signed copies of the memorandum of understanding*.]

*President Trump*. Okay. Thank you very much.

*Prime Minister Lee.* Thank you for the letter. No, no. We only sign one.

*President Trump.* You don't want to do that? I don't mind. [*Laughter*]

All right, thank you very much, everybody. We're going to see you—we're going to see you in the other room. We'll see you in the other room, if you'd like. Thank you very much. *Prime Minister Lee.* Thank you.

NOTE: The President spoke at 3:51 p.m. at the InterContinental New York Barclay hotel.

*Categories:* Meetings With Foreign Leaders and International Officials : Singapore, Prime Minister Lee*.*

*Locations: *New York City.

*Names:* Lee Hsien Loong*.*

*Subjects:* New York : President's visits; Singapore : Defense relationship with U.S.; Singapore : Prime Minister; Singapore : Relations with U.S.; Singapore : Trade with U.S.

*DCPD Number:* DCPD201900647.