Can the World Handle This Many Geopolitical Explosions?

A President of Peace - Just Not the Kind You Expect.

At The Nanson, our CEO Steven Okun moderated a fireside chat with Kishore Mahbubani, who explored the quiet revolutions - or “silent explosions” - reshaping global power.

Kishore made an unexpected argument: Donald Trump may be remembered as a president of peace - not because he was gentle, but because he fought with tariffs instead of tanks.

“Trade wars don’t kill people,” he said. “They can be negotiated.”

That shift, Kishore suggested, marked the start of a new era of economic confrontation replacing military conflict - a form of power competition that forces adaptation rather than destruction. He went on to describe three “silent explosions” redefining global geopolitics:

U.S.–China parity: A once one-sided dynamic now defined by mutual leverage. China’s rare-earth export controls changed the tone from confrontation to cautious cooperation.

U.S.–India recalibration: Decades of strategic alignment have given way to tariffs, visa restrictions, and quiet frustration in New Delhi.

Europe’s humility test: Kishore called on Europe to recognize that Asia now contributes more to global GDP, and to share power accordingly - even in institutions like the IMF and World Bank.

He also praised ASEAN’s quiet genius - its ability to thrive in a “3M world” that is multi-civilizational, multi-polar, and multi-lateral, guided by balance, pragmatism, and dialogue.

The discussion ended with a reminder that while the world isn’t exploding, it is transforming - in silence, through parity, diplomacy, and shifting power. “It doesn’t matter how big your cabin is,” he said. “If the boat sinks, we all go down.”