Time to dump Trump’s flawed negotiation playbook

The best negotiators are never the loudest people in the room. They are the ones who create trust and build lasting relationships.

- Michele Gelfand

US President Donald Trump isn’t one of them, which is why his approach — a tear-ing, extreme demands, personal attacks, and a refusal to compromise — has repeatedly backfired. What might well work in the dog-eat-dog world of New York real estate does not translate to the global stage. Without a major pivot, this cycle will only repeat itself, jeopardising America’s interests, both now and for years to come.

Consider Mr Trump’s position on the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta). Describing it as “perhaps the worst trade deal ever made,” he began his first term with a vow either to overhaul or abandon it. He did neither. After months of threats and ultimatums that alienated allies, he settled for modest revisions and a name change: The resulting United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement left most of Nafta’s core framework intact.

Barely two months into his second term, Mr Trump has already imposed 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports, leading to retaliation and a faltering stock market. Nonetheless, he’s doubling down with plans to impose another 25% tariff on automobiles and auto parts — a policy that is projected to increase costs for manufacturers and con-sumers alike. Once again, “art of the deal” is yielding losses for everyone because Mr Trump approaches negotiation as a zero-sum battle rather than as a chance to add value.