The outcome of the U.S. presidential election will impact Washington's defense partnership with the Philippines, with a Harris administration likely continuing the current multilateral, security-focused strategies, while a Trump administration would likely shift toward a transactional, bilateral approach that could strengthen or strain ties depending on Manila's response to increased U.S. demands. Despite its increasing relevance in the larger South China Sea territorial dispute, the United States' alliance with the Philippines alliance has not featured heavily in the U.S. presidential election campaign, with neither Democratic candidate Kamala Harris nor Republican candidate Donald Trump laying out clear policy preferences on the matter. Nonetheless, broader statements made by Harris regarding her stance on China and how she would approach U.S. diplomacy and military posture in the Indo-Pacific suggest her administration would maintain President Joe Biden's current multilateral approach to the Philippines, which has emphasized human rights and democratic values as part of...
