Undeniably, there has been lots of noise lately about Trump’s return to office. Through all the noise, I have noticed one contrasting behavior of President Trump that can be a double-edged sword.
Unlike regular politicians who stick to a set of principles no matter the cost, President Trump has approached his policies like a business deal. If something does not work or loses public support, he is willing to scrap it and try something else. Whether you like him or not, this “unideological” approach is what makes his leadership unique, disrupting, and unpredictable.
These moves were not tied to a long-term conservative or liberal vision. It was about cutting down on what he sees as red tape.
Trump’s Tariffs and Executive Order on Prescription Drugs
One of Trump’s wildest and boldest move came with his declaration of a “national emergency,” not on war, but to protect American workers, strengthen the U.S’ position, and usher in an era of U.S exceptionalism. Through his tariffs on all imports, Trump hit global trade hard and came down even harder on countries that have large traded surpluses with the U.S. It is a classical Trump play, as detailed in his book The Art of the Deal: “The best thing you can do is deal from strength, and leverage is the biggest strength you can have.”
At the same time, he signed an executive order to lower prescription drugs by tying them to prices in other developed countries. That is obviously something that is not typically expected from a Republican president, but it got people like Bernie Sanders giving support, as he expressed in his recent post on X. Again, this executive order proves that Trump is not an ideological man, but a man who focuses on outcomes.
Recent Middle East Tour
Trump’s recent Middle East trip sent another clear signal. He returned with large investment deals. A $142 billion defense agreement with Saudi Arabia, sanctions lifted on Syria, and perhaps most controversially, a $400 million private jet gifted from Qatar.
Critics from both sides, including Bernie Sanders, jumped on it. Even former special assistant to Trump, Allyssa Farah Griffin, called it “Qatari Blood Money.” But Trump in fact did not back down, even referencing American golfer Sam Snead’s motto: “When they give you a putt, you say thank you very much.” To him, it was about the deal, not the politics.
Final Thoughts
Trump’s greatest asset might be that he does not care about consistency. If something works, he is the first to take credit. If it does not work, he will move on. This can make him effective in the short term. But, it also creates confusion about what he truly stands for and his next moves.
In a time where politics is often about identity and ideology, Trump is playing a different game. He is not a moral leader or a big picture thinker. He is the deal-maker and most importantly he means business. This is what makes him hard to predict and definitely hard to beat.
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