Donald J. Trump and Asia: From Campaign to Government

Abstract This paper seeks to examine candidate Trump's campaign rhetoric about Asia and President Trump's policy toward Asia. It will look at Trump's announcements during his presidential campaign and show that Trump, the candidate, had made various proposals on the U.S. approach to China and American allies in Asia, which had made Asian capitals deeply concerned. In the Asian view, if Trump's campaign promises were realized, the world would be characterized by political tensions, trade protectionism, and arms races. The paper goes on to examine the Trump administration's foreign policy toward American allies in Asia and toward China. It demonstrates, that though the United States are being governed by a new administration—The Trump administration—the U.S. national interest and constitution do not change. President Trump and his administration have found it necessary to maintain many elements of Obama's Asia policy for U.S. interests.