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Trump’s Reordered Trading System

The US president is signing trade agreements and «framework» deals on a tour of Asia this weekFacebookXLinkedInEmailLinkGiftExpandUS President Donald Trumpvspeaks with Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia’s prime minister, after arriving in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.Photographer: Samsul Said/BloombergFacebookXLinkedInEmailLinkGiftGift this articleContact us:Provide news feedback or report an errorConfidential tip?Send a tip to our reportersSite feedback:Take our SurveyNew WindowFacebookXLinkedInEmailLinkGiftBy Shawn DonnanOctober 27, 2025 at 12:00 PM UTCBookmarkSaveLock This article is for subscribers only.

Pundits have struggled for years to describe the economic times we live in. Based on this past weekend it looks like — for the world engaging with the US, at least — we are living in a choose-your-own-adventure economy. Moreover, each of the three main plot lines increasingly look fraught in their own way, for both the US and those engaging with its current iteration.

We learned on Sunday that when President Donald Trump and China’s Xi Jinping meet on the sidelines of a regional summit in South Korea on Thursday, they will have the “framework” of a deal to sign off on. Though just how much durable substance versus short-term de-escalation is in that framework appears to be the main question.

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