Van Hipp is a seasoned authority on military operations, government affairs, and international relations, bringing decades of experience across defense, law, and political leadership. As Chairman of American Defense International, he delivers strategic services to international clients navigating U.S. government engagement. His background includes senior roles within the Department of the Army and the Department of the Navy, as well as active duty service during major U.S. military operations. Through regular commentary on national and international news networks, Van Hipp provides context on global security, trade, and diplomacy. His professional perspective is informed by direct involvement in defense mobilization, legal oversight, and political leadership, positioning him to assess the intersection of peace negotiations and economic leverage in modern foreign policy.
President Donald Trump Brokers Peace and Expands Trade
In October 2025, President Donald Trump helped broker the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accords, which provided a pathway to peace between Thailand and Cambodia. Speaking on Fox News about the deal, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army Van Hipp described the agreement as necessary not only for bilateral relations but also because $5 trillion in cargo, representing one-third of the world’s maritime trade, passes through the South China Sea region annually. In addition, it encompasses half of all liquified natural gas (LNG) and a third of all oil.
From Xijing Ping’s perspective, many aspects of the US-negotiated deal were as expected. However, the critical minerals deal announced with Thailand and Malaysia likely caught the Chinese Premier flat-footed. Directly after that, US and Chinese trade negotiators, standing on the sidelines of the ASEAN Conference, were given the green light to work out the framework for a rare-earth minerals deal of their own.
As Van Hipp explains, trade pressure and U.S. trading regulations often determine when China enters serious negotiations. Among China’s concessions on rare earth minerals was rolling back the halt on export bans on terbium, yttrium, dysprosium, and samarium, which it instituted after the US tariffs were announced in early 2025.
Terbium’s primary use is as a green phosphor in LED lights and display screens. It’s also a dopant for laser technology materials and is essential for fuel cells and solid-state devices. Yttrium produces luminescent red phosphors and also has vital energy production and medical applications. Dysprosium is a crucial component of magnetic alloys, while samarium is critical in nuclear reactors and super magnets.
Amid the longstanding Thailand-Cambodia issue, Trump threatened tariffs to secure a peaceful compromise in a dispute that erupted into open conflict in July. At what many describe as a ‘toothless” summit focused on Southeast Asia, he brokered a bold agreement that involves the two countries removing heavy weapons from a disputed border area and placing temporary border markers where those that have gone missing. An interim observer team will also implement a new landmine-clearing procedure, while a joint task force will focus on scam centers that have proliferated in the border region.
Trump described his accomplishment thus: “The eight wars that my administration has ended in eight months… It’s something I’m good at and something I love to do.” Van Hipp opines, “He’s doing it not only to end wars, but to get a better deal for the American people. He’s the best salesman we’ve ever had.” In particular, Trump employed the same tariff-focused strategy in garnering the announcement of significant investments by Japan and South Korea in the United States.
Other pundits see Trump’s involvement in peace processes that also have a mercantile aspect as furthering Trump’s well-known quest to earn a Nobel Peace Prize. While all bets are off on when this will occur, it’s not in question that Trump inherited an extremely complex and volatile foreign policy landscape that requires careful finessing to get back on a productive, peaceful track.
This complexity was underlined by a setback in resolving the Thai-Cambodia conflict in November 2025. Two of Thailand’s soldiers were injured in a landmine explosion on the border, which inflamed tensions. With Thailand moving to suspend the peace agreement, at least the framework of a potential resolution remains in place.
About Van Hipp
Van Hipp is the Chairman of American Defense International, a defense and strategic consulting firm based in Washington, D.C. He has served in senior roles within the U.S. Army and Navy, including Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army and Principal Deputy General Counsel of the Navy. A veteran of multiple military operations, he has extensive experience in defense policy, government relations, and international affairs. Hipp is also a frequent media commentator and an active advisor to national nonprofit organizations.
