Asian Insider Podcast
How to read Trump right and why he and Xi get along
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In this episode, Harvard Prof Graham Allison explains the Trump ‘phenomenon’ and predicts that he will seek a good vibe with Xi in 2026
ST GRAPHIC: FA'IZAH SANI
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Synopsis: Every third Friday of the month, The Straits Times gets its US Bureau Chief to analyse the hottest political and trending talking points.
In this episode, US bureau chief Bhagyashree Garekar hosts her special guest - Harvard Professor Graham Allison - who tells her how he manages to read Trump right, by taking him seriously, looking at his patterns amid all his statements, and noticing the trend lines.
Prof Allison is the Douglas Dillon Professor of Government at Harvard University where he has taught for five decades. He is a leading analyst of national security with special interests in nuclear weapons, Russia, China, and decision-making.
He has also written books, including Destined for War: Can America and China Escape Thucydides’s Trap?, published in 2017. He also had another book out earlier in 2013 - Lee Kuan Yew: The Grand Master’s Insights on China, the United States and the World - which has been a bestseller in the US and abroad.
Highlights (click/tap above):
2:24 How well do Trump & Xi vibe?
5:20 Will 2026 be a good year for US-China ties?
7:06 What do Trump and Xi want from each other?
10:04 Will Trump get hawkish on China ahead of the 2026 election?
12:23 Can Trump carry his base on China?
15:45 Why is Trump muted on China-Japan spat over Taiwan?
20:45 Why Trump is different from any other US president
24:00 How today’s China looks at today’s America
28:00 Will China be the world’s sole superpower?
Read Bhagyashree Garekar’s articles:
Bhagyashree Garekar’s LinkedIn:
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Produced and edited by: Fa’izah Sani
Executive producer: Ernest Luis
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