Donald Trump’s shock election victory has left America divided. However, deep socio-economic challenges exist within the US. Nevertheless, making both America and the world “great again” is not mutually exclusive.

The shock election victory of Donald Trump has created a divided America. Globally, his campaign posturing has caused much uncertainty. With Trump’s promise to cancel the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and impose tighter immigration regulations, the United States seems on the brink of slamming its doors shut on the world and starting a trade war.

Amongst his many campaign promises, President-elect Trump had pledge to slap a 45 percent tariff on all Chinese imports, end the Offshoring Act to bring back jobs and profits, and buff up national security by improving infrastructure and ending illegal immigration. For Trump to retain credibility, he will need to deliver on many of his election promises. There may still be a way for the new commander-in-chief to take this forward so that America can still benefit while minimising disruption to the world economy.

… Christopher Lim is Senior Fellow in the Office of the Executive Deputy Chairman and Vincent Mack is Associate Research Fellow in the Centre for Non-traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre), both at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.