Alex Gray, former Chief of Staff at the White House National Security Council during Trump’s first term and current Senior Fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council. Gray shares his views on why Taiwan is the United States’ most important national security interest in the decades ahead, how Trump distinguishes trade from strategic policy, and what Taiwan can expect in terms of U.S. support amid rising tensions with China. From rare earth dependence to strategic ambiguity, Gray outlines the challenges and calculations shaping Washington’s approach to Beijing, Taipei, and the broader Indo-Pacific region. Chapters: 01:20 Taiwan: America’s top security interest 02:20 Trump separates strategy from trade 03:40 Pivot to Asia vs. Middle East reality 05:15 Trump’s China policy remains firm 06:25 Rare earths: China’s leverage over the U.S. 09:10 Will Trump cave to Chinese pressure? 10:14 Taiwan’s domestic politics and U.S. alignment 11:49 Tariffs and Taiwan’s trade challenge 12:48 Mass recall votes and U.S. perception #AlexGray #Trump #MutualSecurity #Tariffs #TaiwanPlus #TaiwanPlusNews #TaiwanNews #ZoominZoomOut –
