Jakarta. A letter from US President Donald Trump to Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on tariffs and trade deficits offers a glimpse into how Washington views its economic ties with Indonesia. Yet beyond its substance, the letter, sent on official White House letterhead, reads more like a social media post than a diplomatic note.

Instead of coming across as a respectful message between two heads of state, the letter feels more like a business ultimatum. It is filled with phrases that suggest coercion rather than dialogue, repeatedly framing Indonesia’s trade practices as a “major threat to our Economy and, indeed, our National Security.”

The letter’s inconsistent capitalization, randomly emphasizing words like “TRADE,” “Great Honor,” “Tariff,” and “Non Tariff”, undermines the formality expected in high-level diplomatic correspondence. While seemingly minor, these presentation flaws can signal a lack of care or respect in communications between nations.

The language itself is riddled with redundancies and informal phrasing. Phrases such as “in other words, in a matter of weeks” sound casual and out of place in a diplomatic letter. The constant repetition of “Trade Deficit” and “Tariff” clutters the message, making it feel like a sales pitch designed to pressure Indonesia rather than an invitation to negotiate fairly.

The Associated Press reported that Trump inserted the word “only” before tariff rates in his letters, implying generosity. Yet these letters appear to follow a templated format, with one addressed to Bosnia and Herzegovina mistakenly referring to its female leader, Željka Cvijanović, as “Mr. President.” A corrected version was later posted online. A letter to Tunisia followed the same format word for word, with only the rates changed.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump is crafting “tailor-made trade plans for each and every country,” adding that the administration plans to continue posting the letters on social media before mailing formal copies, a break from the traditional closed-door approach used by previous administrations.

Substantively, the letter leans heavily toward unilateral demands. It threatens a 32 percent tariff on Indonesian products while simultaneously offering zero tariffs if Indonesia relocates production to the US. Tauhid Ahmad, an economist at the Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (INDEF), said Trump’s suggestion for Indonesian businesses is unrealistic, as it would increase production costs and hurt competitiveness.

Such conditions, framed as addressing trade deficits, are likely to be seen in Jakarta as economic pressure rather than a constructive step toward resolving imbalances. By linking economic concerns to national security, the letter risks complicating relations and eroding trust between the two countries. Trade issues, while serious, should not be equated with threats to national security, especially when dealing with a long-standing partner like Indonesia.

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Faisal Maliki Baskoro is the editor of The Jakarta Globe

The views expressed in this article are those of the author.

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