A U.S. Indo-Pacific priority? Not so fast

U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi are welcomed by U.S. sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington during a visit to the U.S. Naval Base in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, in October last year. | REUTERS

Aug 18, 2026

It’s increasingly difficult to make sense of U.S. foreign policy.

It’s not unusual for there to be a divergence between strategy and statements, or official statements and actions, but rarely has the gap been as wide as it is today.

The purported U.S. “focus” on the Indo-Pacific is especially confusing. A pillar of U.S. foreign policy for over a decade, regional specialists and keen-eyed observers have long challenged the readiness of successive administrations to follow through on that strategy. Those inconsistencies are becoming impossible to cover up, deny or ignore.

In a time of both misinformation and too much information,
quality journalism is more crucial than ever.
By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.