Trump 2.0 and “US Skepticism” in Taiwan

The narrative of “US skepticism,” portraying Washington as an unreliable partner, has been gaining prominence in Taiwan. This perspective encompasses anxieties related to both abandonment and entrapment. After Donald Trump won the 2024 US presidential election with a clear “America first” agenda, Washington made significant changes to its foreign policy. Many analysts attribute the rise of this skeptical outlook to Trump’s transactional approach to international affairs. The panel data analyzed in this study support these observations. The results have important theoretical significance for research on alliance security. They also have substantial policy implications for both Taipei and Washington. To safeguard Taiwan’s autonomy and independence, it is essential that its citizens remain resolute in their efforts to resist China’s aggression independently. For the US, evolving perceptions in Taiwan regarding America’s reliability suggest that diminished credibility will have enduring and challenging consequences.