Asia’s moment of reckoning: Adapting to Trump’s transactional world view

THE return of Donald Trump to the White House marks not merely a change in US presidential administrations, but also a fundamental acceleration of trends that have been reshaping the international order for years.

For America’s Asian allies – from Tokyo to Seoul and Manila – the question is no longer whether Washington will maintain its traditional security commitments, but rather on what terms and at what price.

Trump’s transactional approach to alliances, far from being an aberration, reflects deeper currents in American domestic politics: war-weariness, fiscal constraints, and a growing consensus that the costs of maintaining global hegemony outweigh the benefits.