Trump 2.0 and US Leadership in the Indo-Pacific

The Diplomat author Mercy Kuo regularly engages subject-matter experts, policy practitioners, and strategic thinkers across the globe for their diverse insights into U.S. Asia policy. This conversation with Dr. Tiberio Graziani – chairman of Vision and Global Trends’ International Institute for Global Analyses in Rome – is the 449th inContinue Reading

Trump and the Philippines: Will the Squad Top the Quad?

The Indo-Pacific remains a shining beacon of hope in the United States’ otherwise dim foreign policy predictions. However, just like during President Donald Trump’s first term, securing U.S. interests through trade and reshaping international partnerships accordingly will remain a priority. To ensure U.S. trade, critical military, and technology supply chains,Continue Reading

Caught in the Shockwave: Japan-US Relations Under Trump

Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru’s first meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump went as well as anyone in Tokyo or Washington could have hoped. But for all the good feelings on both sides, there are major challenges ahead. On the security front, neither Americans nor Japanese are fully committed toContinue Reading

Will China Take Advantage of Future EU-US Rifts?

Looking back, the first Trump administration might have been just a demo for the European Union and transatlantic relations, with the worse yet to come. Still combining a feverish passion for tariffs with distrust of the EU, U.S. President Donald Trump now also brings a desire for the territory ofContinue Reading

The Strange Stability of the Japan-US Relationship

The events that have transpired so far in the realm of foreign policy make it clear: nothing should be taken for granted under a second Donald Trump administration. Under Trump, the United States is no longer a graceful benefactor of allies and regional partners, but a restless giant that demandsContinue Reading

The Trump Effect on China-US Strategic Competition: Disruption, Dealmaking, Deterrence

The second Trump administration is raising geopolitical stakes. The new president’s “America First” vision of U.S. strength, safety, and prosperity underpins the White House’s disruptive decision-making, hardball dealmaking, and high-stakes deterrence. The unpredictability of U.S. leadership, once a cornerstone of stability in the global system, is upending the postwar rules-basedContinue Reading