How to read Trump right and why he and Xi get along | Asian Insider podcast

Our expert guest explains why he predicts both men will seek good vibes in 2026.

In this episode, US bureau chief Bhagyashree Garekar hosts her special guest - Harvard Professor Graham Allison - who tells her how he manages to read Trump right, by taking him seriously, looking at his patterns amid all his statements, and noticing the trend lines.

Prof Allison is the Douglas Dillon Professor of Government at Harvard University where he has taught for five decades. He is a leading analyst of national security with special interests in nuclear weapons, Russia, China, and decision-making.  

He has also written books, including Destined for War: Can America and China Escape Thucydides’s Trap?, published in 2017. He also had another book out earlier in 2013 - Lee Kuan Yew: The Grand Master’s Insights on China, the United States and the World -  which has been a bestseller in the US and abroad. 

Highlights (click/tap above):
0:00 Intro
2:31 How well do Trump & Xi vibe? Getting a sense of their agendas for 2026
8:11 What do Trump and Xi want from each other?
10:13 Will Trump get hawkish on China ahead of 2026 election?
15:08 Why is Trump muted on China-Japan spat over Taiwan?
20:41 Why Trump is different from any other US president
23:58 How today’s China looks at today’s America
27:12 Will China be the world’s sole superpower?

Read Bhagyashree Garekar’s articles: https://str.sg/whNo 
Bhagyashree Garekar’s LinkedIn: https://str.sg/gD6E 
Sign up for ST’s weekly Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/sfpz 

Host: Bhagyashree Garekar ([email protected]) 
Produced and edited by: Fa’izah Sani
Executive producer: Ernest Luis

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