Why Trump’s ‘dealmaker’ image faces scrutiny as wars in Iran and Ukraine test his negotiating skills | Today’s news
US President Donald Trump built his political identity on a simple promise: he could make “deals” that traditional politicians couldn’t.
From repeatedly claiming he could end wars to trying to reshape global trade through threats of tariffs, Trump has presented himself as a negotiator capable of turning pressure into results.
But his record in the White House raises questions about the limits of that approach.
Trump’s reputation as a businessman predates his political career. In 1982, shortly after the opening of Trump Tower in New York, the then 38-year-old developer suggested that he could negotiate arms control agreements with the Soviet Union better than President Ronald Reagan. His 1987 book The Art of the Deal later cemented this image.
Four decades later, the same personality remains central to his presidency. Still, conflicts between Iran and Russia, along with trade disputes sparked by its tariff policies, have highlighted the challenges of translating ambitious promises into lasting results.
“He’s not as good at it as he thinks he is,” Christopher Preble, a senior fellow at the Stimson Center, an international security think tank, told the Associated Press.
From ending wars to tariff diplomacy
Trump has promised to end Russia’s war in Ukraine within a day, but the conflict continues. His dealings with Iran have also drawn scrutiny. After projecting confidence in a quick result, he announced what he called a “grand” truce, which quickly faltered.
His repeated claims that Tehran is eager to negotiate have consistently failed to produce the results he described.
Trade policy presents another test. Trump argued that the tariffs would give Washington leverage to secure favorable deals.
But the unilateral tariffs have stoked trade tensions, including with Canada, while raising costs for American businesses and consumers.
A zero-sum approach to negotiations
Trump’s negotiating style was shaped by decades in real estate, where aggressive negotiations and high-risk ventures helped build his public profile. However, his business career also included financial setbacks, bankruptcies and legal disputes with suppliers, business partners and creditors.
Marty Latz, a negotiation expert and author of The Real Trump Deal, told the AP that Trump has secured some successful deals but has also experienced major setbacks.
Barbara Res, the former Trump Organization executive in charge of construction, argued that Trump’s personal pride could complicate negotiations.
“He could be a better negotiator if his ego didn’t get in the way,” Res said, according to the AP.
Trump’s preference for presenting the negotiations as a contest with winners and losers may solve the project. However, diplomacy often requires compromise, sustained commitment, and trust that commitments will be honored—conditions that can be difficult to establish through threats alone.
How TV Reinforced Trump’s Image as a Dealer
The debut of The Apprentice in 2004 gave Trump’s business persona a new platform.
The reality TV show portrayed him as a decisive manager who evaluates contestants and controls the boardroom, reinforcing an image that would later become central to his presidential campaigns.
Tim O’Brien, author of TrumpNation: The Art of Being The Donald, told the AP that unpredictability is central to Trump’s negotiating style.
“If he’s the one causing the chaos, he’s often the only one who can end it,” O’Brien said.
Trump outlined his approach in The Art of the Deal: “I aim very high and then I just push and push and push to get what I want.
Such tactics can create leverage, but they can also stiffen the opposition when counterparts refuse to back down.
The White House has defended Trump’s record, citing trade deals and investment commitments as proof of his negotiating skills.
Trump’s supporters also point to the Abraham deals, negotiated during his first term, as a major diplomatic achievement.
His business career, meanwhile, involved extensive litigation. Latz argued that legal disputes could serve as bargaining tools to pressure opposing parties or reduce financial obligations, according to the AP.
