Organizer: ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute

Type/Location: Hybrid / Singapore

Description:

Just over a year in, the second Trump administration’s approach to Southeast Asia has been marked by persistent unpredictability, complicating regional assessments of US reliability and strategic intent. While Washington strengthened certain bilateral security ties and reaffirmed support for a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific”, these signals have been muddled by highly transactional diplomacy and uncertain and offensive trade policy. In parallel, President Trump’s personalised diplomacy—often driven by leader-to-leader relationships rather than institutional processes—produced uneven outcomes, strengthening ties with some governments while worrying others. Meanwhile, the Trump administration’s oscillation between hardline competition with China and episodic accommodation reinforced regional perceptions that US policy was reactive rather than strategic. Unpredictability has emerged as a defining feature of Trump-era US policy in Southeast Asia, with profound implications for regional trust in Washington and US strategic positioning in the region. This hybrid seminar will unpack the Trump administration’s policy towards Southeast Asia and its engagement with the region, and draw observations that may be policy-relevant over the next three years of his term.

About the Speaker:

Derek Grossman is a Visiting Senior Fellow at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute and Professor of the Practice of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Southern California. He is also Adjunct Senior Fellow with the Indo-Pacific Security Program for the Center for a New American Security (CNAS).

Registration:

To attend the event in person, please register here.

To attend the event virtually, please register here.