# Trump continues American dominance in the Asia-Pacific

- Link: https://instituteforglobalaffairs.org/2026/01/trump-continues-american-dominance-in-the-asia-pacific/
- Published: 2026-01-30T14:19:36-05:00

### Spheres of influence for me, not for thee?

By [Ransom Miller](https://instituteforglobalaffairs.org/about/team/ransom-miller/),
Research Associate

_This article appeared in [Responsible Statecraft](https://responsiblestatecraft.org/us-china-spheres-of-influence/#ransom-miller)
on January 30, 202_6

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The National Security Strategy [states](https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-National-Security-Strategy.pdf)
that “the United States rejects the ill-fated concept of global domination for itself.”
But even if the administration does not intend to dominate globally, US hegemony
in the Asia-Pacific is still in practice.

Trump’s tariff program is one example of this continued dominance. It has attacked
China’s superior economic position within Asia, where a Chinese sphere of influence
might be purported to exist. Vietnam’s framework agreement [impose](https://www.vietnam-briefing.com/news/us-vietnam-framework-for-trade-agreement-key-terms-and-expectations.html/)
s higher tariffs on transshipped goods, [explicitly](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-06-04/us-will-not-give-vietnam-reprieve-on-tariffs-lutnick-says)
to target Chinese businesses in the country. Malaysia’s deal was even more [restrictive](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/2025/10/agreement-between-the-united-states-of-america-and-malaysia-on-reciprocal-trade/#:~:text=Section%205.%20Economic%20and%20National%20Security):
its government agreed to allow US review of foreign deals concerning its critical
minerals and infrastructure and mirror US tariffs on third-party countries, sacrificing
major elements of its economic sovereignty. Many of these same components were [included](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/2025/10/agreement-between-the-united-states-of-america-and-the-kingdom-of-cambodia-on-reciprocal-trade/#:~:text=Section%205.%C2%A0%20Economic%20and%20National%20Security)
in the Cambodia deal, and reporting suggests that the administration views it as
a [model](https://www.ft.com/content/4d407d2b-2f91-4858-b3b7-3167a7584da6) for ongoing
negotiations with Indonesia.

…

Read more of Ransom’s article in [Responsible Statecraft](https://responsiblestatecraft.org/us-china-spheres-of-influence/#ransom-miller)

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**Written by [Ransom Miller](https://instituteforglobalaffairs.org/about/team/ransom-miller/)**

Ransom Miller is a research associate at the Institute for Global Affairs at Eurasia
Group.

 * [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ransom-miller-98b738226/)