To say that President Trump has hit the ground running in his second term would be an understatement. With an experienced and committed team in place, he has moved fast on his campaign pledges. A record number of executive orders have been signed just in the first 30 days, 10% tariffs on China are already in place with another 10% expected this week and 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico are set to proceed on 4 March. However, the rapid pace of orders has overwhelmed administrators, leading to weak implementation and numerous flip-flops. Far from creating a sense of euphoria, this resultant chaos has left both markets and businesses struggling with heightened levels of uncertainty.
To make sense of it all, I sat down with noted trade expert Stephen Olson. Steve’s background as a US trade negotiator gives him a unique lens on how the Trump administration is approaching trade and what strategies trading partners might adopt. At the same time, he draws upon his expertise in international trade, economic and business issues to offer nuanced perspectives on the opportunities and challenges facing the global economy and the rule-based international trade system.
Conversations with Steve are always enriching and highly captivating. Only Steve can get a chuckle out of you even when discussing WTO reforms! His ability to communicate complex geopolitical and trade issues in accessible, engaging ways is what sets him apart.
Currently, Steve is a Visiting Fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies – Yusof Ishak Institute, where his research focuses on global trade architecture, regional integration in trade and investments and sustainable trade. In addition, Steve holds academic positions at several prestigious institutions internationally, and is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Futures Council (GFC) on Trade and co-leads a joint workstream on geopolitics.
Below are the links to some his recent interviews and commentaries.
Southeast Asia must Prepare for Trump’s ‘Everything’s on the Table’ Approach to Trade, ISEAS, Feb 2025
The stage is set for the most significant trade war since the 1930s, CNBC, Feb 2025
The economic implications of Donald Trump’s presidency for Southeast Asia, ThinkChina, Jan 2025
Trump 2.0 poses new risks for Southeast Asia, East Asia Forum Quarterly, Q4 2024
Trade and Values: Navigating the Intersection of Policy and Principles, World Economic Forum White papers, November 2024
Please listen, share, and join the conversation as we navigate the rising trade uncertainties and, hopefully, push towards a new rules-based global trade system.
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