The Trump negotiating style is overly simplistic, it begins in the media with a series of aggressive posts and personal abuse before a highball offer is made. Clearly, this is universally rejected before more late night social media posts increase the media pressure in an attempt to intimidate and force concessions. Then Trump backs down on his maximist claims and then splits the difference, better known as the Trump TACO backdown.

The Trump madman theory is based on his unpredictability to change positions without notice, and demand concessions or altered positions. If Trump can humiliate people in public, he will. Trump gets very personal attacking the person, their wife, or their family. These are typically people not involved in politics and considered off limits. Trump seeks to persuade the leader he is unpredictable and capable of anything, therefore, anything is possible.

This approach does not build trust or long-standing relationships, instead the basic premise moves from a mutual win/win strategy to a win/lose approach where negotiators do not negotiate in good faith. People hate Trump, there is a basic lack of decency, sure they deal with him as the United States is a large market, but in private, they despise Trump. Instead, they are forced to either adopt aggressive positions and tactics to negotiate base principles and positions.

A win/lose strategy only hurts nations who are attempting to build markets in the United States, they will take their business and loyalty to nations offering a greater level of respect. Why wouldn’t nations with similar values engage in business where mutual respect is freely offered? Currently the United States is the biggest market in the world, what he is telling exporting countries is they cannot rely on the United States, the Trump regime is based on the cult of Trump, this is not a person who keeps his word.