Trump meets Vietnam leader To Lam, vows to remove Hanoi from restricted lists

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US President Donald Trump (second from right in the foreground), greeting Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (right in the front row) and Vietnamese leader To Lam (second from right in the front row) as they gather for a group portrait session ahead of the inaugural meeting of his Board of Peace in Washington on Feb 19, 2026.

US President Donald Trump (second from right in the foreground) greeting Vietnamese leader To Lam (second from right in the front row) in Washington on Feb 19.

PHOTO: TIERNEY L. CROSS/NYTIMES

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WASHINGTON/HANOI - US President Donald Trump met Vietnamese leader To Lam on Feb 20 and said he would work to remove Hanoi from lists of countries restricted in accessing US advanced technology, according to a summary of the talks posted on the news website of the Vietnamese government.

The first formal in-person meeting between the two took place at the White House after the head of Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party attended the

inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace

in Washington.

The meeting followed the announcement of deals worth over US$30 billion (S$37.9 billion), under which Vietnamese airlines would buy 90 aircraft from US planemaker Boeing.

Mr Trump on Feb 20 also announced

an immediate new 10 per cent tariff

on most imports from all countries after the Supreme Court struck down some of his earlier sweeping tariffs. REUTERS

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