President Prabowo Welcomed by Indonesian Diaspora in US

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto arrived in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday afternoon local time, February 17, 2026, and was greeted warmly by members of the Indonesian diaspora and students in the United States.

Garuda Indonesia flight PK-GIF carrying the President and a limited delegation landed at Joint Base Andrews in Prince George’s County, Maryland, at around 12 p.m. local time, as reported by Antara.

Upon disembarking, President Prabowo, wearing his signature black peci, greeted Indonesian and US officials waiting near the aircraft stairs.

Those welcoming him at the airbase included Indonesian Ambassador to the United States Dwisuryo Indroyono Soesilo, Indonesian Defense Attaché in Washington Air Commodore E. Wisoko Aribowo, and US Air Force Col. Gary Charland, commander of the VVIP/VIP Aircraft Maintenance Group at Joint Base Andrews.

The President then proceeded to his presidential vehicle under escort from the Presidential Security Detail (Paspampres) and members of the US Secret Service before heading to his hotel in downtown Washington.

Upon arrival at the hotel, President Prabowo received a bouquet from a young girl dressed in traditional Indonesian attire. Dozens of Indonesian diasporas and students, along with staff and officials from the Indonesian Embassy in Washington, D.C., and their families, filled the lobby to greet him, saying, “Welcome to Washington, Mr. President.”

Many wore traditional costumes from various regions and batik shirts, waving small red-and-white Indonesian flags as the President walked through the lobby.

President Prabowo shook hands with the well-wishers one by one, thanking them for their welcome. He also greeted several Indonesian Military (TNI) officers currently studying in the United States and held brief exchanges with a number of students.

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya, who accompanied the President on the flight from Jakarta, also greeted members of the diaspora and students. Coordinating Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto and Foreign Minister Sugiono, who had arrived earlier in the United States, are also accompanying President Prabowo during his official visit.

During his stay, President Prabowo is scheduled to meet US business leaders on Wednesday. On Thursday, he will attend the inaugural summit of the Board of Peace (BoP) on Gaza, which is set to be led by US President Donald Trump Jr. as its initiator, according to US Presidential Office officials who announced last week that the summit is planned for February 19, 2026.

President Prabowo is also slated to hold a bilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump, during which they are expected to sign, among other items, an agreement on reciprocal trade (ART) that has been under negotiation since 2025.

Indonesia formally joined the Board of Peace after President Prabowo signed the organization’s founding charter at its launch in Davos, Switzerland, on January 22, 2026.

Other signatories include the United States as initiator, as well as Hungary, Bahrain, Morocco, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, Egypt, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Mongolia, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, and Uzbekistan. ***