Commentary
On the border of Cambodia in Prey Chan Village, you could be forgiven for thinking you’d stumbled into a MAGA rally.
Hundreds of villagers wave American flags and hold up photos of President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump. Men, women, boys and girls of every generation are gathering here outside a small temple to call for peace and prosperity to their homeland. The villagers chant in unison: “we want peace!”
A ceasefire brokered by President Trump between Thailand and Cambodia and his continued efforts to maintain peace on this fragile borderland give them hope.
President Trump flew to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia on Oct. 26 to preside over an agreement between Thailand and Cambodia after months of fighting and a precarious ceasefire. It was billed a success as the two countries’ leaders amicably shook hands.
This was the diplomatic culmination of events brought about by President Trump’s popularity in the region, and especially with the Cambodians, which I witnessed at the country’s northern border a month ago.
On that visit to Cambodia’s disputed border with Thailand, I witnessed reverence for an American president we don’t usually expect from foreigners. Villagers surrounded by Buddhist monks in prayer cheered for President Trump.
U.S. Rep. Richard McCormick told me that Trump in Cambodia is “the most popular American President in any foreign country I’ve seen to date.”
What makes it all the more pivotal is that in any other time than now, none of this would be imaginable in Cambodia, a former Communist country with close ties to China that’s at loggerheads with Thailand, a U.S. ally.
On my previous trip to Cambodia, I spoke to Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol. I asked the deputy prime minister what he thought of Cambodian journalist Soy Sopheap’s suggestion that an American-built 140-mile highway in Cambodia be named Trump Highway.
Villagers holds American flags in Prey Chan Village on Sept. 26, 2025. Michael Alfaro
“I think it would get a lot of support within the country,” he said. “We are seeing a lot of support for this suggestion on social media.”
The signing of the peace deal on Sunday was a boon for the United States. America retained historic relations with Thailand while opening up trade with Cambodia.
The scenes I saw in Prey Chan Village showed me that in some weird way, Trump’s popularity is working in the world’s favor. Events that have unfolded since back that up.
It was first reported in September that Thailand was headed over the border on Oct. 6 to evict Cambodians from their homes. That date came and went. The situation was still unstable for a while, with demining exercises conducted on Oct. 10 in disputed areas without Cambodian consent.
Now a signed treaty between the two sides that the president brokered is starting to show signs of easing up the tensions. That should be a victory for the world.
The fate of the villagers can’t be underestimated. Yan Yong is the mother of one of 18 Cambodian soldiers whose release by Thailand was negotiated as part of the peace pact but which has still to be fulfilled. All she wants is to see her son again, she said.
The reaction I received from most Washington insiders to my reporting from Cambodia’s border was one of shock that they hadn’t heard about the fighting and its consequences for the villagers before they read my report.
Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet acknowledged over the summer that President Trump deserved the Nobel Peace Prize. He reiterated the endorsement on Sunday.
Now to keep the peace and restart trade, transparency—starting with accuracy in reporting—is essential.
Michael Barry Alfaro is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and journalist. His frontline coverage has gained global attention, featured in outlets like The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and the UK’s Daily Mail. Recognized as one of America’s top political consultants and fundraisers, Alfaro has raised millions for Newsmax and served as a political consultant to President Donald J. Trump. He leads a lobbying firm focused on Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Israel. Alfaro’s humanitarian efforts include raising funds for Afghan refugee evacuations and coordinating crisis responses in Ukraine, Israel, and Southeast Asia. His recent focus on Cambodia has brought worldwide attention to the border conflict.