US and Cambodia Resume Joint Military Exercises After Eight-Year Hiatus

For the first time in eight years, the United States and Cambodia are resuming large-scale military exercises, Angkor Sentinel.

According to Bloomberg, this is evidence of warming bilateral relations after a series of new agreements, including a peace treaty between Cambodia and Thailand, supported by US President Donald Trump.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hagel announced the return of the exercise after meeting with his Cambodian counterpart on the sidelines of a security summit in Malaysia.

The exercises were suspended in 2017 amid Washington’s criticism of human rights violations and the curtailment of democracy in Cambodia.

Great meeting with Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister, Tea Seiha, in Kuala Lumpur. We agreed to restart our premier bilateral military exercise with Cambodia.

The KL Accords demonstrate President Trump’s commitment to peace through strength. pic.twitter.com/bqpQRhhC03

— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) October 31, 2025

The defense ministries also discussed a possible visit by a US warship to Cambodia’s Riam naval base.

The United States has long expressed concern that China could gain access to the base, potentially making it the first Chinese military outpost in the Indo-Pacific.

Separately, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet announced an agreement with FBI Director Kash Patel to strengthen security cooperation.