Trump’s ’America First’ Policy Spurs Regional Trade Alliances Amid Tariff Fallout
Southeast Asian nations are forging stronger intra-regional trade partnerships to counterbalance the disruptive effects of Trump-era tariffs. The ’America First’ doctrine, intended to prioritize domestic interests, has inadvertently accelerated economic decoupling as export-dependent economies diversify their markets.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent frames the policy as a catalyst for equitable trade relations, but market realities tell a different story. Supply chain restructuring across Asia demonstrates how protectionist measures often yield unintended consequences—a lesson cryptocurrency markets learned during 2021’s mining migration.