International Feature: Trump's Family Wealth Soars During His Second Term, Raising Concerns About Using Public Power for Private Gain President Trump's wealth has skyrocketed during his second term, with his companies making numerous overseas investments, sparking a storm of speculation. Although he claims his businesses are now managed by his son, the overlap between policy-making and family interests renders the US's political recusal mechanisms ineffective. When public pow

The Democratic Party bench is deep and an answer to who its nominee is won’t emerge until much later. Steven R. Okun and Thurgood Marshall Jr Published Jun 27, 2026, 05:00 AM Last week, former US first lady Michelle Obama took the stage at the Obama Presidential Library – and within hours, speculation began once more about whether she might finally enter the race for US president. It is a ritual by now. Each rare occasion she gives a speech, Democrats swoon. Few people connec

As featured in Eco-Business, June 24, 2026 AI governance is no longer a technology department problem. It's a boardroom imperative — and most companies aren't treating it that way. That's the view Steve Okun, Founder and CEO of APAC Advisors, shared in a recent Eco-Business feature on AI's mounting societal risks in Singapore. His core argument: the risks AI brings cut across every geography, sector, and stakeholder group, and nearly every business now plays a role in shaping

Journalism in a World of Obsolete Geopolitical Assumptions There is no "trade truce" between the US and China. That was Steve Okun's opening line — and he meant every word of it. Steve returned for his annual session with the National Press Foundation's International Trade Reporting Fellowship, speaking to 25 journalists from across Asia on geopolitics and trade. The message was clear: too many stories are still being told through a lens that no longer reflects reality. Three

Why does this matter so much for Asian economies? The closure of the strait of Hormuz provided a “stark wake-up call” exposing the region’s vulnerability, according to a report released by the International Energy Agency (IEA) last week. Before the crisis, 60% of south-east Asia’s imports of crude oil and a third of its imports of gas came from the Middle East, according to the IEA. The region’s energy import bill is projected to reach $160bn this year – double the $80bn bill

While the US and Chinese markets are essential, other countries are making deals with each other in search of more diversified trade Steven Okun and Kellie Meiman Hock Published: 8:30pm, 18 Jun 2026 As US President Donald Trump rebuilds the tariff wall the country’s Supreme Court knocked down, the headlines fixate on each individual block. With the global 10 per cent tariff initially levied in response expiring on July 24, the Trump administration is preparing to replace it b

Steven Okun, CEO of APAC Advisors, joined Sri Jegarajah on CNBC's Inside India to break down what the U.S.-Iran MOU means for energy markets, trade routes, and investors across the region. The U.S.-Iran ceasefire MOU is good news for the short term — oil prices ease, markets respond, and countries like India, South Korea, and Thailand get some relief. But the bigger question is what comes next. Freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz was once absolute; that certain

Trump rebuilds his tariff wall. The Strait of Hormuz remains closed. The US and China are at a stalemate. The markets continue to go up. Investors may be happy. But voters are not. Nor are the US’ trading partners. Republicans will pay the price at the voting booth. Long term, countries look to diversify away from both the US and China.

“People think AI is going to be like air, available for as long as they want and affordable enough for them to consume as much as they need," Steven Okun told Tim Burroughs as part of his deep dive on how private equity firms approach AI adoption. Many PE firms and their portfolio companies go all in on AI but with no budget, no risk plan, and no idea what happens if it gets expensive. What if AI costs 5x more in three years? Do you still hire that many fewer analysts? Becau

For decades, companies flocked to China for cheap manufacturing at scale and speed. Now, Western governments are pushing businesses to pull production and reduce their commitments. Beijing is hitting back with sweeping new rules that critics say could make it harder for foreign firms to diversify their supply chains. China says the measures are about protecting national and economic security - as it accuses the West of protectionism. The United States and Europe have been try

Private equity firms can no longer treat government as a regulatory afterthought Steven Okun and Derek Grossman Steven Okun is CEO of APAC Advisors, a geostrategic consultancy based in Singapore. Derek Grossman is a professor of political science and international relations at the University of Southern California. Private equity and venture capital firms operating in Asia had one fewer significant constraint than counterparts in the U.S. -- they didn't need to worry about de

The eyes of the world have been fixed on Beijing this week, where what may be the most significant diplomatic recalibration of the decade is taking place. After all, it's the high-stakes summit between U.S. and China. As US President Donald Trump along with Chinese Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping conclude their summit on 15 May, they have framed the U.S. – China bond as the most consequential in the world. Steven Okun speaks with Vietnam Today

Steven Okun's analysis after day one of the Trump-Xi summit for Al Jazeera The Trump-Xi summit seems to be a success in that it has stabilized the relationship for now. But all of the core issues between the two countries remain. China's unfair trade practices all remain in place, and the US continues to work to isolate it from critical technology. And we will likely see the US increase tariffs on China in July when the US raises tariffs on countries such as Malaysia, Thailan

Steven jolined panelists Horace Zona, Katie Wu, Obinna Isiadinso and Rodrigo Abreu for a great discussion at the Global Private Capital Conference’s “Scaling Data Centers Globally”. Chips, NIMBY, Power, Skilled Labor, Sovereign AI: Challenges and Opportunities for Scaling Data Centers Globally. In Q1 2026 alone, in Global Private Capital Association's markets, capital invested in data centers reached USD5.2b, above most full-year totals. But there are many emerging issues whi

Steve Okun, chief executive of APAC Advisors (Singapore), predicted the Trump administration would soon raise tariffs on China, potentially to 35 percent or more. Mr. Trump, he said, “will need to be careful not to commit to taking 301 off the table at the coming summit.” Why? As the US prepares to raise tariffs on much of the world through ARTs or Section 301 tariffs for forced labor or industrial capacity, China must be included. For example, Vietnam's tariffs will soon be

Tariffs are relative. Will Trump lower China’s tariffs to close to those planned for SE Asia when either the Agreements on Reciprocal Trade or the Section 301 tariffs kick-in, either by July 24 when 122 expires? The lower the differential on tariffs between China and countries like Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, the more likely companies which left China will return, reversing in part China +1.

Steve, Taimur Baig, Ethan Wu, and Deborah Elms return for the latest in the geopolitical series I host for The Nanson. While the US and China continue a period of no further escaltion in their trade war, Trump moves forward on tariffs for the rest of Asia. China has neither overplayed its hand nor shot itself in the foot, sitting stronger today more because of US actions than its own foresight, but still with all the challenegs the region has with them. Forecasting the econom

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Authorities are investigating a prime suspect after a shooting at the White House correspondent's dinner in Washington DC. It's the latest in a series of violent episodes in US politics. Mr Steven Okun, CEO of APAC Advisors, shared more about the apparent attempt on US President Donald Trump's life and the typical security arrangements at such presidential events.

Companies need to stress-test their plans to ensure business continuity in a disrupted world where access to Artificial Intelligence could be scarce or expensive. By Steven Okun, Megan Willis, Noemie Viterale Businesses are placing massive bets on Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the assumption the investment will surely pay off. Their leaders’ decision making conflates AI with clean air – always available, in whatever quantity and quality their business needs. Businesses and