United States trip proves Jacinda Ardern's pulling power

In today's Focus on Politics podcast Deputy Political Editor Craig McCulloch assesses the Prime Minister's American odyssey."It's incredibly important... in this fraught time of global politics... for us to be engaging with like-minded partners" - Jacinda ArdernPrime Minister Jacinda Ardern's second overseas trip this year - this time, to the United States - comes in the midst of numerous geopolitical uncertainties.With Russia waging war on Ukraine and China flexing its power in the Pacific, the US has been repositioning - and New Zealand spies opportunity.But while Ardern's visit had intended to focus primarily on trade and tourism, a tragic school shooting in Texas has diverted attention and reignited the domestic debate over gun control. Listen to the full podcast hereThe prime minister's American engagements began before she had even boarded the plane, joining remotely the launch of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework with US president Joe Biden and Japan's prime minister Fumio Kishida.IPEF is not the free trade deal New Zealand would like, but it holds potential, with an intention from its 13 member countries to set shared standards in areas such as the digital economy and supply chains. The US has been accused of neglecting the Indo-Pacific in recent years, and China's aggressive relationship building in the Pacific looms large as motivation.Beijing's recent security deal with the Solomons and the Chinese foreign minister's tour to sell a region-wide agreement have rattled the Pacific islands' traditional allies New Zealand and Australia.A US return to the trans-Pacific trade pact Donald Trump abandoned in 2017 - now known as the CPTPP - would be the ideal for New Zealand, but domestic American politics make that currenly implausible.Ardern is not giving up on the idea however, and she has some stateside supporters. At one of her first events in New York, US Chamber of Commerce vice president Myron Brilliant implored Ardern to encourage further US involvement in our part of the world. Read more:Ardern calls out tech giants in prestigious Harvard University speechPM confirms meeting with US President Joe Biden next weekFirearms debate weighs on Jacinda Ardern's Capitol meetingsArdern can push US to 'show up' in Asia-Pacific - Myron BrilliantArdern talks gun control on Late Show with Stephen ColbertNZ joins world powers in Indo-Pacific economic allianceJacinda Ardern's US trip: Biden's Asia visit sets the sceneThe trip took on a more sombre tone after 19 students and two teachers were shot dead at Robb Elementary School in Texas, and another 17 people wounded…Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details