Trump, Prabowo, and the Gaza-Freeport Nexus

IF DIPLOMACY is indeed the art of telling people to go to hell in such a way that they ask for directions, then President Prabowo Subianto has just upgraded the manual. In a single sweep of the Potomac, Jakarta has managed to position itself as a pillar of global peace while simultaneously ensuring that the golden taps in Papua remain wide open until the mid-21st century. It is, quite frankly, a masterclass in what we might call “Pragmatic Polyglotism.”

The centerpiece of this American sojourn was the inauguration of the Board of Peace. Orchestrated by Donald Trump—a man who views geopolitics not through the dusty lens of Westphalian sovereignty but through the high-gloss finish of a real estate prospectus—the Board is a “disruptive” alternative to the UN’s bureaucratic inertia. With a $5 billion war chest for Gaza’s reconstruction, Trump is essentially franchising peace. And Indonesia? We didn’t just buy a franchise; we took a seat on the board.

The Alchemy of Peace and Copper

However, as any seasoned reader of The Economist knows, beneath every grand humanitarian gesture lies a very sturdy, very profitable bedrock of self-interest. While the cameras were capturing the solemn handshakes of the “Board members,” a far more lucrative ink was drying in the corridors of the US Chamber of Commerce.

The deal? A pre-emptive extension of PT Freeport Indonesia’s (PTFI) operating permit beyond 2041.

To the uninitiated, this might look like a coincidence. To the rest of us, it’s a classic quid pro quo. Trump gets the legitimacy of the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation for his “Peace Board”—a vital endorsement since the European “old guard” (France and Germany) decided to sit this one out in a fit of pique. In exchange, Arizona-based Freeport-McMoRan gets the regulatory certainty it needs to keep burrowing into the Grasberg.

Strategic Audit: The Washington Deal-Flow

The Transaction	GetNews Verdict (Market Analysis)
Board of Peace Membership	Diplomatic Hedging. Jakarta gains a high-profile seat at the reconstruction table, bypasses UN deadlock, and secures “Peace Partner” status with the White House.
Freeport 2041 Extension	Fiscal Anchor. Secures long-term mining royalties and state dividends. It’s the “Gold for Peace” trade-off that keeps the Indonesian budget breathing.
The EU Boycott	Market Opportunity. With Brussels sulking on the sidelines, Jakarta and the “Global South” have essentially cornered the market on Trump-era diplomatic favor.

The Bottom Line: Sante, Lur!

In the grand theater of global affairs, some play for the history books, while others play for the balance sheet. Prabowo has decided to do both. By signing the Board of Peace, he has satisfied the idealists; by signing the Freeport extension, he has satisfied the accountants.

Is it cynical? Perhaps. Is it efficient? Absolutely. While the Europeans spend the next six months drafting “letters of concern” regarding Trump’s unilateralism, Indonesia will be busy shipping copper and debating whether to build a Marriott or a Hilton in a reconstructed Gaza. As we say in the local parlance: Sante, lur! (Relax, brother). In the new world order, if you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu. And Indonesia just ordered the steak.