While Hegseth fumbled in responding to questions from Sen. Tammy Duckworth, who was born in Bangkok and injured in combat while serving in the U.S. military, regional leaders have expressed optimism about U.S. engagement under Trump’s leadership.

The escalating trade tensions between the U.S. and China have triggered a strategic recalibration of supply chains. As highlighted by Singapore’s former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, “Southeast Asia will be a natural beneficiary of any realignment in global trade dynamics caused by geopolitical shifts.”

Second Trump term could challenge US ties with Southeast Asia: Analysts Donald Trump will be sworn in within hours as the 47th President of the United States. Analysts say the impact of his return could be wide and uncertain.

As Donald Trump returns to the White House as the 47th President of the United States, so does his ‘America First’ agenda. For Southeast Asia, the echoes of his first presidency leave the region bracing for familiar challenges—but could Trump’s second term bring surprises?

Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, who is set to attend Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, also stressed the necessity of being on the same wavelength as the incoming president’s team.

Southeast Asian foreign ministers met this year under the regional bloc’s new chair, Malaysia, seeking a breakthrough over Myanmar’s drawn-out civil war and territorial disputes in the South China Sea

Trump term mean for Taiwan, especially with a Republican-controlled Congress? After Trump was elected in 2016, he initially tried to use Taiwan to gain leverage over Beijing. After taking a congratulatory call from then-Taiwan president Tsai Ing-wen,

China banker says Trump's Bitcoin plan contradicts his US dollar dreams as Hong Kong busts tech savvy pig butchers. Asia Express

By making direct arms purchases, New Delhi is missing out on the opportunity to acquire technology and to bolster its manufacturing capabilities.

United Nations human rights experts have urged Thailand not to send 48 Uyghurs in its custody back to China, warning they are at risk of torture, ill-treatment and "irreparable harm" if returned.

Overall, Trump’s second-term foreign policy, defense, and economic appointments suggest that security issues will dominate in Asia, despite his grumbling about trade imbalances. In addition, they suggest that his second administration will be even tougher toward China than his first, or than the Biden administration.