Pacific Islands Under Trump 2.0: Aid Retrenchment, Tariff Shock, and a Sharpening Contest for Influence
The source argues that U.S. aid cuts, climate-policy withdrawal, and new tariffs in 2025 imposed significant economic and governance stress on Pacific island nations and weakened U.S. credibility. It suggests China, Australia, and Japan are moving to fill gaps, but island states are increasingly cautious about debt, sovereignty, and being drawn into major-power competition.