“America First” is now “Trump First”
Published 08 July 2025
“As Donald Trump flexes his power across the US government, the only constraint may come from the market economy,” says Steven Okun, Founder and CEO, APAC Advisors.
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Trump’s tariff agenda is now largely unchecked, as traditional constraints like congress, cabinet oversight, and legal challenges have weakened — leaving market volatility as the main force limiting his actions. Trump’s “America First” has evolved into “Trump First.” Okun commented that Trump’s approach to trade is now likened to running the US as his personal store where he sets prices and terms. A key tariff deadline on July 9 risks reigniting a global trade war, with Asia in the crosshairs.
About the NPF International Trade Fellowship 2025
The National Press Foundation holds an annual International Trade Fellowship workshop for journalists, sponsored by the Hinrich Foundation. This year, the Foundations welcomed 25 Asia-based journalists at the Hinrich Foundation’s office in Singapore. The sessions, held in June, focused on a range of themes including global trade policy, the age of data, the macroeconomic outlook, climate change, Asia’s place in a fast-changing world order and more.
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