With Donald Trump returning to power as US president in January 2025, Southeast Asian countries are carefully weighing the potential implications for their energy transition efforts. Trump’s second term as president, following his loss to Joe Biden in 2020, is set to usher in a significant shift in US global engagement, particularly in climate and clean energy leadership – a critical area for a world striving for long-term, sustainable transitions. Southeast Asia, which requires significant investments in clean energy, faces a growing dichotomy between US retrenchment and China’s expanding regional engagement. (Source: Dialogue Earth)