US Politics & Its Global Impact

Renee Good’s death could be a rallying point against President Donald Trump or a turning point towards a more authoritarian government, says US politics expert Steven Okun. SINGAPORE: The fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by a United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Minneapolis last week has become tragedy and political flashpoint. Her death exposed just how badly the US has fractured. For one side, the killing of the unarmed 37-year-old mother of

Domestic resistance grows as US president's foreign-policy latitude expands Steven R Okun and Thurgood Marshall Jr Steven R Okun and Thurgood Marshall Jr served in the Clinton administration as deputy general counsel at the Department of Transportation and White House Cabinet Secretary, respectively. Okun serves as CEO of APAC Advisors in Singapore. Marshall practices law in Washington. Even with his Houdini-like ability to escape consequences for actions once thought impossi

Commerce Secretary Lutnick said the US expects a large investment pledge in excess of $300 billion from Taiwan in trade talks. Lutnick also said they would help train US workers for advanced semiconductor production. Taiwan maintains such training is not part of bilateral tariff negotiations. Just another example of America First where US treats its partners more as vassal states. Given Japan pledged to invest $550 billion and South Korea $350 billion, Taiwan got off light.

The backlash to Dr Anjani Sinha’s remarks after beginning his tenure in Singapore shows just how difficult his mission will be, says political observer Steven R Okun. SINGAPORE: “Increase our economic and commercial ties,” was what President Donald Trump instructed Dr Anjani Sinha before he assumed the post, according to the newly arrived US Ambassador to Singapore . Yet the backlash to Dr Sinha’s recent remarks shows just how difficult that mission will be under Mr Trump’s A

Steven Okun moderated Trump 2.0: The Great Disruption Year at The Nanson - featuring Deborah Elms, Taimur Baig and Ethan Wu, From “T.O.T.U.S" (Trade Outside the U.S.) to what one speaker called “a great moment of incoherence,” the conversation dove straight into how Trump 2.0 has turned global trade into something deeply personal. The U.S. isn’t running on policy so much as personality - decisions made on instinct, not institutions. China, meanwhile, is rewriting its own rule

Trump 2.0 Beyond Borders – What It Means for Fiji and the Region AmCham Fiji hosted a hybrid event with former U.S. government official and geopolitical analyst  Steven Okun  of  APAC Advisors (Singapore)  and Head of External Affairs for the  American Association of the Indo-Pacific . He joined us for an engaging in-person briefing in Nadi. The session, “Trump 2.0 Beyond Borders: Geopolitical Risks and Opportunities for Businesses and Investors,” explored how shifting U.S.–C

At the  Moores Rowland  APAC and  International Practice Group ’s 2025 Conference, APAC Advisors CEO  Steven Okun  spoke about how geopolitics is no longer a backdrop to business, it’s the main event. Every trade deal today is a test of leverage. The U.S. is negotiating one-on-one, not through alliances - and every country is learning how to play in a world where market access depends on power, not predictability. Across the region, investors are spreading their bets.  Pan-As

Will ASEAN come together or fracture in dealing with America First? Can the US-China trade war stabalize? How will Chinese transshipments be addressed in a US-Malaysia agreement? Is there a coalition led by the US that can be developed to counter China's dominance of Rare Earth  The only thing we know for sure: Malaysia, South Korea and Japan will each engage in "flattery diplomacy" given that's the playbook all governments use when it comes to Trump. Breaking down what to wa

The U.S. announced agreements on Sunday with Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia, securing support for its efforts to pressure China on trade and critical minerals. While the statements did not mention China, to varying degrees they signaled each country’s support for Mr. Trump’s aim to reduce China’s stranglehold on some of the most important materials that go into a wide array of products, such as batteries, smartphones and magnets for fighter jets. In addition, the statements

Steven Okun, CEO of public affairs consultancy APAC Advisors, said when interviewed that though Trump is not expected to make significant policy statements at the ASEAN Summit, his attendance itself sends an important signal that “Southeast Asia is key to the US from an economic perspective, a geopolitical perspective and a defence perspective.” “Just by taking off the fentanyl tariffs, that would put China at almost the same tariff rate as most Southeast Asian countries. And

Steven joined Leila de Lima, Adrian Ang and Nicole Curato on a panel about political comebacks at the Asian Conference for Political Communication 2025 (#ACPC 25), organised by Konrad‑Adenauer‑Stiftung’s Media Programme Asia. He discussed how Donald Trump, drawing from Richard Nixon’s model of fear-driven politics, has fuelled his comeback and consolidated power. His engine isn’t ideas - it’s fear: first over his party, then the media, business and education sectors. The real

Sinha Confirmed: Can Be Successful Ambassador to Singapore (Steven Okun's Analysis for  CNA ) As U.S. Ambassador to Singapore, Anjani...

Their relationship has long been defined by rivalry, competing ambitions and a disputed border. Now, India and China are resuming direct...

Steven Okun, CEO of public affairs consulting firm APAC Advisors, acknowledged the importance of a meeting between the U.S. and Chinese...

Trump threatens to cancel Xi Jinping summit in wake of rare earth curbs that one analyst says had left US president ‘furious and...

Navigating Tariffs and Trade Wars: Impact & Market Opportunities in Asia At the   Bloomberg  Investment Management Summit in Singapore,...

A President of Peace - Just Not the Kind You Expect. At  The Nanson , our CEO  Steven Okun  moderated a fireside chat with  Kishore...

Steven Okun is CEO of APAC Advisors, a geostrategic consultancy headquartered in Singapore who served in the Clinton administration....

The Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he's 'concerned' by reports of a Chinese ban on BHP iron ore imports. Steve Okun, the CEO of...

Steve analyzed the Democrats’ high-risk strategy in the looming U.S. government shutdown, and what it signals about both political...

U.S. President Donald Trump has driven out of his party nearly everyone with the temerity to challenge him, write Steven R Okun and...

For all the doomsaying about US President Donald Trump’s trade and economic policies, the world’s biggest economy has held up relatively...

Dr Anjani Sinha faltered at his confirmation hearing to become the US ambassador to Singapore, but he could still be a net positive to...

As a recognized expert on U.S. foreign policy, global trade, sustainability, and corporate public affairs across the Asia-Pacific region,...

Steven discusses with Professor Frank Pieke on China’s response to the imposition of “reciprocal tariffs” by US President Donald Trump...

President Donald Trump paused his steep tariffs due to the bond market, but more market turmoil may come, says US politics expert Steven...

With US President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs about to reshape global trade, a coordinated response is the best way forward, say...

President Trump’s new tariffs, including a 24% tax on goods imported from Malaysia, have sparked a mix of reactions worldwide. While some...

President Donald Trump has called it 'Liberation Day' - but world leaders say his new round of tariffs is likely to trigger a global...

As Donald Trump unleashed his latest torrent of tariffs, he specifically targeted around 60 countries who've imposed their own taxes and...

Major auto-making nations have criticised US President Donald Trump's 25% tariffs on foreign-made vehicles, with some promising...

One month in the White House and US President Donald Trump is wasting no time reshaping America. From dismantling key Biden-era policies...

Donald Trump has said that Americans could feel some 'pain' after tariffs were imposed on Mexico, Canada and China - rattling global...

The most powerful US president since FDR will demand a different approach, say Steven R Okun and Thurgood Marshall Jr.   File photo. US...

Don’t presume Trump’s foreign policy would be the same without the ‘Deep State’ diplomats and officials he’s promising to purge....

Tighter curbs on business with China loom as corporate leaders are warned that they cannot be bystanders in broader geopolitical rivalry.

VP Kamala Harris’ struggles could complicate her ability to lead the Democratic Party in a future election, be it in 2024 or later.

This week’s summit comes amid supply shocks, leadership transitions, and war.

With Trump potentially on the 2024 ballot, US partners will watch to see how many commitments they should make.

On China: there is no such thing as a benevolent great power, says Kishore Mahbubani, former President of the UN National Security Council.

Steve & David Marchick, COO of US International Development Finance Corporation, discuss Asia Pacific as a priority for Biden's government.

For the National Day of Service on Martin Luther King Jr Day as part of the kick-off to the Biden-Harris inaugural week, a group of...

Steve interviews Kishore Mahbubani former President of the UN National Security Council.

Steve interviews former White House Press Secretary Mike McCurry.