October 28, 2025
A New Era of Strongman Rulers Is Upon Us
This article was originally published in The New York Times.
When President Trump and President Xi Jinping of China meet this week, the world will be watching to see if they can lock in a framework trade agreement and finally restore a sense of lasting stability and predictability to the world’s most consequential relationship.
Don’t count on it.
The consequences of strongman rule seep into the fabric of economies and everyday life.
Whatever rhetoric or handshake deals come out of their planned encounter at a regional summit in South Korea, they are unlikely to signify more than a momentary truce between two leaders unchecked by domestic or institutional constraints and free to change course on a whim.
Welcome to the new strongman era.
Read the full article in The New York Times.
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