Singapore has long been one of Washington’s closest and most pragmatic partners in the region. But new findings from the State of South-east Asia 2026 Survey suggest that sentiment may be shifting. From trade policy to geopolitical leadership, Singaporean stakeholders are expressing growing unease about the reliability and predictability of the United States even as its strategic importance remains unchanged.

Joanne Lin, Senior Fellow and Coordinator, ASEAN Studies Centre, ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute. Visiting Scholar at the MIT Center for International Studies, joins the Breakfast Show to unpack what’s driving this shift in perception.