Trump’s fragile unreliability has killed the US’ deterrenceBy Stephen HolmesUS President Donald Trump’s administration’s new National Defense Strategy (NDS) places “deterrence” at the center of the US’ grand strategy: Deter China from dominating the Indo-Pacific region, deter threats to US access to Asian markets. However, the independence of such institutions is precisely what makes long-term commitments credible to foreign observers. Deterrence fails not only when threats lack credibility, but when the absence of credibility tempts adversaries into recklessness. Trump’s NDS speaks the language of deterrence fluently, but strategy documents do not deter. Credible commitments, sustained over time, do.

Source: Taipei Times February 04, 2026 16:06 UTC