One of the assumed legacies of the Obama administration is its “pivot,” or rebalancing, of American foreign policy toward the Asia-Pacific. Originally conceived as part of the administration’s liberal internationalist approach of seeking to wed the United States and the Asia-Pacific in a “multiple-partner world,” the pivot has been hesitantly implemented. Yet, the question is not so much whether this shift in American foreign policy will continue (since the US has long-standing commitments in the region), but how much of a priority it will be after Obama. We assess several domestic factors (e.g., the leadership orientation of differing future administrations; the impact of Congress, and the future of the American economy and defense spending) and international factors (e.g., the impact of Chinese behavior, the degree of support from alliance partners, and the requirements for American actions elsewhere) in considering the future role of this rebalancing of American foreign policy.
