Trump’s Absence at APEC Exposes Risks to America’s Global Leadership and Economic Security

President Donald Trump’s decision to skip the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit after a brief meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping sends a troubling signal about America's commitment to the crucial Indo-Pacific region. While the rest of the world gathered to tackle trade, technology, and security challenges involving nearly 40% of the global population and more than half of world goods trade, Washington chose absence over engagement. What Does America Lose When It Walks Away? The Asia-Pacific has long been a theater where American leadership safeguards national sovereignty and economic prosperity through strategic alliances and multilateral forums. Yet Trump’s disdain...