The Playbook Podcast Why Trump’s Asia trip is risky business
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Oct 24, 2025 President Trump is embarking on a high-stakes trip to Asia, meeting with Xi Jinping for the first time since 2019. This journey is deemed risky due to the geopolitical uncertainty surrounding it. Potential trade agreements with Japan, South Korea, and ASEAN nations could result from his discussions. Additionally, the podcast explores the implications of Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan's independent run for governor and the impact of AI-generated political videos on future elections.
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Unusually Unscripted Asia Trip
- Trump's Asia trip is unusually unpredictable compared with his prior, more choreographed foreign visits.
- The Xi meeting is central and could reshape trade and supply-chain tensions if it produces an unexpected outcome.
China's Rare-Earth Leverage
- China has enacted sweeping export controls that give it leverage over global supply chains via rare earths.
- Those controls raise the stakes and make any U.S.-China leader meeting a high-risk gamble over economic warfare.
Bannon's Stark Warning
- Steve Bannon told Megan this is one of the riskiest trips any U.S. president has taken given China's actions.
- He framed the situation as the Chinese Communist Party having declared "open economic warfare against America."