[6] Beginning in April 2014, the US considered Malaysia as a Comprehensive Partner which increased the importance of diplomatic ties as part of President Barack Obama's Pivot to Asia policy.

The partnership increased bilateral consultations and co-operation on politics, diplomacy, trade, investment, education, people-to-people ties, security, the environment, science, technology and energy,[7] which continued to be enhanced by President Donald Trump in 2017.

Mohd Noor Amin, Chairman of the International Multilateral Partnership Against Cyber Threats (IMPACT), was appointed as the Secretary-General for this council.

The council is headquartered in Washington, D.C. and sponsored by leading Malaysian companies to offer advice on matters relating to bilateral relationship between the two countries.

[20] Under the helm of Prime Minister Najib Razak's administration, the two-way diplomatic ties between the two sovereign nations have since warmed and became normalised once more.

[21][22][23] Prime Minister Najib and President Obama issued a joint statement that, among other things, elevated the Malaysia-US relationship to a comprehensive partnership.

[27] In June 2018, the United States Embassy in Kuala Lumpur hosting a series of programs in Sabah (the former North Borneo) to celebrate the 150+ years of partnership with the people of the territory.

[30] The earliest significant economic relations between the territories now part of Malaysia, in particular Malaya, was the US involvement in the production and trade of tin and rubber.

[36] While figures capturing the full range of foreign investment (including oil and gas) are not available, American companies are particularly active in the energy, electronics, and manufacturing sectors and employ nearly 200,000 Malaysian workers.

[44] This agreement seeks to expand market access, strengthen intellectual property protections, and support high labour and environmental standards while fostering greater economic integration among participants.

[47] While Malaysia's security are secured by the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) with Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom, the US also has military alliance with both Australia and New Zealand under the Australia, New Zealand, United States Security Treaty (ANZUS) and has established direct military and political co-operation with Singapore and Malaysia, whose armed forces were growing increasingly dependent on American arms shipments,[48] with the M4 carbine and M16 rifle became the major assault rifles for both armed forces.

[51] During the Battle of Mogadishu in October 1993, 113 members of a Malaysian Army battalion was deployed as part of the United Nations Operation in Somalia II to rescue American rangers who were surrounded by Somali militants after two US Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk was shot down by the latter.

[52][53][54] On 1 July 2003, Malaysia established the Southeast Asia Regional Centre for Counter-Terrorism (SEARCCT), where the two countries collaborate in combating terrorist financing.

[66] Prime Minister Najib Razak and President Barack Obama met just before the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington on 12 April 2010.

[67] In June 2009 Najib and Obama discussed via telephone the global financial crisis, nuclear non-proliferation issues and two Malaysians detained at Guantanamo Bay detention camp.

[71] The following are senior US diplomats and politicians who have visited Malaysia: According to global opinion polls, only 27% of Malaysians viewed the US favourably in 2007, likely due to disapproval of US foreign policy against fellow Islamic nations.

[90] A 2024 Pew Research poll shows that 84 per cent of Malaysians are dissatisfied with the way US President Joe Biden is handling Israel's war in Gaza.

[91] In December 2023, the United States Department of the Treasury sanctioned four Malaysian-based companies that were accused of assisting Iran's production of drones.

The United States Government has accused Iran of exporting drones to what it considers "terrorist proxies" in the Middle East and to Russian forces in Ukraine.