Prabowo Godok 4-5 Ambassador Candidates For The United States

Minister of State Secretary (Mensesneg) Prasetyo Hadi/ANTARA/Genta Tenri Mawangi

Spokesperson for President Prasetyo Hadi said President Prabowo Subianto is currently still working on four to five names of candidates for the Indonesian Ambassador to the United States.

The position of Indonesian Ambassador to the US was vacant almost 2 years after being left by Rosan Perkasa Roeslani on July 17, 2023, because he was then appointed deputy minister (wamen) of BUMN.

"There are several names that have been discussed by the President with several related ministers, with several related parties. InSya-Allah as soon as possible, he (President, ed.) will make a decision," said Prasetyo Hadi in response to reporters' questions when met at the Presidential Palace, Jakarta, Friday, May 23.

But Prasetyo could only mention the number of candidates, which was around 45 people, but he had not been able to divulge the names of the candidates for the US Ambassador.

Apart from that, Prasetyo explained that there were several criteria that the President considered for the position of the US Ambassador.

There are many (requirements and criteria, ed), including diplomatic ability, then also economic ability, in maintaining our trade relationship with them. Many factors, experience of course. Experience is also important," he said.

Indonesia and the United States are currently still negotiating to determine the amount of reciprocal/reciprocal import tariffs. The negotiations are currently chaired by the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto.

US President Donald Trump on April 2, 2025, set a 10 percent basic import rate to all countries, and a reciprocal import rate to a number of countries, including Indonesia at 32 percent.

However, the US Government is currently setting a moratorium for the imposition of reciprocal rates to many countries, including Indonesia, for 90 days.

The Indonesian government has sent a negotiating team to negotiate on the determination of the resipprocal import tariff, which is led by the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto. In Washington D. C.

Coordinating Minister Airlangga met with US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and Head of the US Trade Office (USTR) Jamieson happened. The Indonesian delegation, led by Coordinating Minister Airlangga, and the US delegation agreed to discuss tariff negotiations intensively for the next 60 days starting Sunday (20/4).

The issues discussed in the negotiations include, among others, import licensing, digital trade, and Customs Duty on Electronic Transmissions (CDET), pre-shipment inspections, surveyor obligations, as well as provisions on the level of domestic components (TKDN) for the industrial sector. Other issues discussed are the implementation of the resipulation rate, and strengthening market access between the two countries.

In his meeting with Lutnick, Airlangga made a number of Indonesian offers to the US, including that Indonesia was willing to buy LPG, gasoline, crude oil from the US.

"Indonesia also plans to provide agricultural products, including wheat, soybeans, soybean milk, and Indonesia will also increase the purchase of capital goods from America," said Airlangga during a press conference in Washington DC last month (18/4).