The impact of the 2015–2016 presidential election campaign on American Asian policy debates

Abstract

The 2015–2016 presidential election campaign had major effects on American debates regarding US policy toward Asia. Going into the campaign, the debates focused heavily on perceived US weaknesses in the face of growing challenges from China. As the campaign progressed, this broad concern with China remained active but secondary. It was overshadowed by strong debate on two sets of issues: international trade and the proposed Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) accord, and candidate Donald Trump’s controversial proposals on allied burden sharing, nuclear weapons proliferation, and North Korea. Criticism of the TPP received broad bi-partisan support and posed increasingly serious obstacles to US government approval of the pact. Trump’s controversial proposals were unpopular and seemed unlikely to be easily implemented even if he were elected; they were opposed by senior Republicans in Congress along with many others. Nevertheless, the proposals upset Japan, South Korea, and other Asian partners; they created major complications in US government efforts to reassure them in defining clear objectives toward regional partners and adversaries.