As the American century fades, the Asian renaissance begins. Kishore Mahbubani sat down with our CEO Steven Okun for a fireside chat at the US-ASEAN Business Council's Strategic Business Forum. ASEAN isn't westernizing it's modernizing, on its own terms, shaped for centuries by deep cultural ties to the two giants on its borders, India and China. An image for how the region moves is like a crab: sideways, sometimes backwards, sometimes forwards - never in a straight line, bu

Forget the usual swing voters. The “precariat” is the new voting base shaping the midterms. They're those living with chronic insecurity - unstable work, unpredictable income and few of the safety nets once taken for granted. As part of Steven Okun’s Geopolitical Series at The Nanson, we explored what could shape the midterms and US-China relations, in discussion with Deborah Elms, Damien Ma and Sonal Varma. This insecurity cuts across the US political and economic landscape.

At the The American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore (AmCham Singapore)'s Regional Economic Conference, our CEO Steven Okun and Manager Noemie Viterale led Workshop 3: The Imperative for Business to Adapt to Changing Geopolitics. The session covered how public affairs is changing for U.S.-headquartered companies and those doing business with the U.S., where new opportunities are emerging, and why companies need to play the long game. A recurring thread throughout: resilience

President Donald Trump offered voters a quid pro quo, saying elect Republicans and get a $5,000 payout, which he called the Trump dividend. Trump's announcement was met with skepticism, with some seeing it as a desperate attempt to motivate voters and others predicting it will backfire, particularly given the US debt at record levels. “Independents and swing voters will see this as a ploy and not a solution to the their affordability problems. That’s why this will backfire,”

Guest: Steven Okun (CEO), APAC Advisors The US and Canada have one of the world's most deeply integrated trading relationships, but tariff threats and tensions over sovereignty have pushed the two neighbours into an escalating trade war. Steven Okun, Founder & CEO of APAC Advisors, discusses how the negotiations broke down and what this means for the future of USMCA and the world.

Trade, once central to Donald Trump’s political rise, could turn against him and the Republican Party in the 2026 midterms. Tariffs, the war with Iran, and uncertainty over USMCA are moving trade front and center this year, especially in trade-exposed states, potentially helping Democrats reclaim the House and possibly the Senate. Steven Okun and Noemie Viterale “It’s the economy, stupid,” a phrase from Bill Clinton’s winning 1992 Presidential campaign, epitomizes how economi

Current U.S. politics, foreign policy, and global trade dynamics intersect to create complex international ramifications. Steven Okun, founder and CEO of APAC Advisors Singapore, discussed how the fragmentation of global trade is reshaping Asia’s economic and geopolitical landscape.

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

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

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.

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

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.

Sharon Simmons didn't come to the Oval Office to talk geopolitics. She came to talk tips. And when pressed on transgender rights, on whether she voted for Trump, she did something most communications professionals struggle to do under pressure: she stayed on message. "I'm here about no tax on tips." That story opened APAC Advisors CEO Steven Okun's fireside chat with the Asia-Pacific Association of Communication Directors (APACD) — a network of Corporate Affairs and Communica

As the conflict in Iran continues to evolve, so do its implications for global trade. APAC Advisors hosted the fourth in its War with Iran webinar series, bringing together three leading voices to assess where things stand — and what businesses should be preparing for. The tariff roadmap Barbara Weisel, Former Assistant USTR and Scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, laid out the tariff landscape with precision. The key date to watch is July 24th, when the

Whether the ceasefire holds or not, firms should not assume business as usual Steven R Okun Published Wed, Apr 8, 2026 · 02:19 PM US PRESIDENT Donald Trump did not follow through on his threat to end a whole civilisation in Iran. Markets went up as a result. This does not mean long-term geopolitical risk and realignment will no longer occur. Trump remains President. While he sits in the Oval Office and the Iranian Republican Guard Corps rules in Teheran, fuel prices higher th