When it comes to foreign policy, the Trump administration's basic approach often appears to be "one step forward, two steps back." No sooner does U.S. President Donald Trump unveil a seemingly promising initiative than he fatally undercuts it through his own proclivities and erraticism.

True to form, Trump's recent trip to Asia provided a glimmer of hope that his administration might be adopting a coherent strategy toward the region. Too bad the trip also showed that the administration's approach remains self-defeating.

First, the good news. Prior to the trip, the Trump team began touting its overarching strategic concept for the region — the idea of working to preserve a "free and open Indo-Pacific." In some ways, this was an old but welcome concept, because it simply affirmed the previous U.S. commitment to upholding a stable and relatively liberal climate in one of the most strategically valuable areas of the world.