President Trump’s ‘The Art Of The Deal’: On Ukraine? – OpEd
By Patial RC
President Trump’s ‘The Art of the Deal’ emphasizes deal-making strategies such as leveraging strengths, walking away from bad deals, and finding win-win solutions. Trump’s ‘Art of Negotiation’ is largely shaped by his experience in real estate, business, and branding.
Trump famously laid out his approach in ‘The Art of the Deal’ (1987), where he outlined his strategies for making deals and navigating tough negotiations. ‘The Art of the Deal’ is a 1987 best seller book credited to Donald Trump and journalist Tony Schwartz. Part memoir and part business-advice book, it was the first book credited to Trump, and it helped to make him a household name. Later converted into a film as well. Some key takeaway principles from his negotiation style include:
Think Big-Trump emphasizes the importance of having a bold vision. Trump emphasizes having ambitious goals and aiming high. He believes that if you’re going to negotiate, you should go after something substantial rather than settling for small victories.Trump believes that being bold, assertive, and sometimes unpredictable keeps opponents off balance, giving him an upper hand.
Protect the Downside and the Upside Will Take Care of Itself – Before making a deal, always consider the worst-case scenario. Trump advises structuring deals so that, even if things go wrong, you still come out okay.He’s known for making extreme opening demands and then working backward from there.
Maximize Your Options – Having multiple options increases leverage. If one deal falls through, you should have alternatives ready to maintain your position of power.Trump is not afraid of confrontation and often doubles down rather than backing off.
Know Your Market – Understanding your industry and the people involved gives you an edge in negotiations. Trump stresses the importance of thorough research to make informed decisions.He studies the people he negotiates with, understanding their strengths, weaknesses, and what motivates them. This allows him to tailor his approach accordingly.
Use Leverage – A major aspect of his strategy is understanding leverage—knowing what the other side wants and using it to his advantage. He often creates the perception that he has more power than he might have. The person with the better leverage controls the deal. Trump suggests looking for ways to strengthen your position, whether through financial power, strategic partnerships, or information.
Enhance Your Reputation – Having a strong personal or business brand helps in negotiations. Trump believes that being known for success and decisiveness can create an aura of authority.
Deliver the Right Message – Presentation matters. Trump highlights the power of storytelling, publicity, and media to influence perception and create a sense of momentum. Trump often shapes the conversation in a way that benefits him, whether in business or politics. He uses media, branding, and public perception as tools to create momentum in his favor.
Fight Back and Don’t Give Up – Persistence is crucial in negotiations. Trump advises never to back down too easily and to be prepared to push back when necessary.
Willing to Walk Away- He believes that being willing to walk away from a deal gives you more control. If the other party senses you need the deal too much, they gain leverage over you.
Contain Costs but Get the Best Deal – Always negotiate the best possible price, but don’t cut corners on things that matter. Trump suggests being frugal where possible but investing in what enhances value.
Have Fun and Do What You Love – Negotiating and deal-making should be enjoyable. Passion and enthusiasm can make the process more rewarding and increase the likelihood of success.While he speaks about win-win deals, in practice, he prefers situations where he comes out significantly ahead. His approach often aims to leave the other party feeling like they got something, but not necessarily an equal share.
‘Art of the Deal’ Principles Applied to Ukraine
If applied to Ukraine, it would likely mean a more transactional approach to diplomacy and military aid. Here’s how some of Trump’s negotiation principles could be applied:
Leverage & Pressure Tactics – Trump might push Ukraine to negotiate with Russia directly, using US aid as leverage to force a settlement. Quid Pro Quo, US signing of rare minerals deal with Ukraine. From the Ukrainian side, it’s an attempt to stop Zelensky’s confrontation with Trump and the Trump administration. “For Trump, he could say to his American electorate “We’ve got compensation for our taxpayers for supporting Ukraine and we’ve got another Victory.” President Putin is believed to have offered rare minerals from occupied territories of Ukraine to President Trump?
Win-Win Peace Deal – He could present a Peace Deal as a Victory for all sides, possibly involving territorial concessions or neutrality agreements for Ukraine.President Trump wants a personal victory in the Ukraine dispute, and for him, a victory would be the end of the war. He wants a win for himself and America.
Walking Away – Trump often threatened to walk away from deals. He could use this tactic to pressure NATO and its members into taking on more financial or military responsibility.
Personal Relationships – He values leader-to-leader relationships, meaning he might attempt direct talks with Putin and Zelensky instead of relying on bureaucratic diplomacy. Trump has frequently spoken positively about Putin, calling him “Strong, Smart and a Tough Leader.” He has also said he got along well with Putin and that a good relationship with Russia is beneficial for the US.
Economic Over Military Solutions – Rather than prolonged military aid, Trump could focus on business incentives, rebuilding deals, or economic pressure both on Ukraine and on Russia through lifting sanctions or adding on. US signing of rare minerals deal with Ukraine by getting President Zelensky over to the White House to sign the deal.
In conclusion, Trump’s negotiation style has been both praised and criticized—some admire his confidence and ability to close deals, while others argue that his tactics can be too aggressive, short-term-focused, or reliant on intimidation rather than mutual benefit. President Trump wants a ‘Personal Victory’ in this dispute, and for him, a victory would be the end of the war. It matters little to him whether the war ends with its old boundaries, or with Russia’s newly captured Ukrainian territory. He isn’t taking Russia’s side, or Ukraine’s side but has put NATO and its allies especially President Zelensky under extreme pressure. President Trump’s recent negative comments about Zelensky were intended to lower Zelensky’s expectations about the war’s outcome. That’s ‘The Art of the Deal’. Push for a hard bargain that gives negotiators much less than they would expect so that you can make concessions to make everyone feel like they got a good deal. President Trump’s ‘The Art of the Deal’ may be seen played during the US signing of rare minerals deal with Ukraine with Zelensky in attendance in Washington on 28th Feb.
President Trump has a great deal of leeway on foreign policy, and he is using it to do what he intended in his first term, make a historic change in improving relations with Russia by lifting some sanctions with focus to contain China using ‘tariffs’, and try to distance Russia from China. US President Donald Trump has a new vision for America’s economy by indirectly to impact Global Geopolitics and Economy. Trump’s focus is “America First” and “Make America Great” again.
