Donald Trump is Not Some Kind of Master Strategist
Like all my posts, this post is solely my personal opinion, but give your head a shake if you think Trump has any kind of “plan”. He does not have any kind of plan. He’s not a master of strategy.
Trump’s team is much better organized this time around. They understand how to pull the levers of power. We see that by the record number of Executive Orders Trump signed on day one. His team was ready to take office. His team has a plan.
Here’s how governing works in the Trump White House.
1.????? Somebody comes up with a “good idea”.
2.????? They take a Big Mac and a Diet Coke into the Oval Office for Donald.
3.????? They convince him their good idea is his good idea. “Oh, my God, Mr. President, that’s an unbelievable idea. How do you come up with these things?”
4.????? Here’s the key thing. Trump’s role is to be the face of the organization. They coach him on what he needs to say, all the while stroking his ego:
Senior Staffer: “These tariffs are going to make you look so strong, Mr. President.”
Trump: “The Canadians treat us so unfairly, with such a big trade deficit. No trade deficit has ever been so unfair.”
Senior Staffer: “You’ll teach them, sir. Who’s the strong man? Who’s the strong man?”
Trump: “Me?”
Senior Staffer: “That’ right. Oh, you haven’t finished your Big Mac, yet, sir. Open up the tunnel. Here comes the choo-choo train…”
5.????? Trump gets on television and attempts to say what he’s been coached to say. With respect to the Canadian tariffs, he says, “Canada isn’t doing it’s part to stop fentanyl from crossing into the United States.” We all know this is bullshit because barely a trickle is caught at the Canadian border. We also know this is bullshit because TRUMP TELLS US. He keeps saying he’s upset because of the trade deficit and that Canada is treating America unfairly.
Meanwhile, his staff holds its breath because the Trump government has no legal justification to punish Canada with tariffs over a trade deficit. It is, however, permitted to use tariffs to enforce national security. Of course, staff try to keep him on message (“You can’t say anything about trade deficits, okay?”). But, Trump has absolutely no discipline. Thus, while he manages to spew out the bullshit fentanyl reason, he immediately let’s the entire world know tariffs have nothing to do with drugs.
Additionally, you know his senior staff is not taking him into strategy sessions. Instead, they spend an inordinate amount of time and energy to keep him happy. Stroking his ego, rubbing his shoulders when Fox News says something mildly critical, cheering him up when he’s pouting, calming him down when he throws a temper tantrum (“There’s not enough special sauce on this Big Mac!”).
If you don’t think that’s how the White House works; if you actually think Trump is coming up with plans and helping devise strategy you have not been paying attention for the last 10 years. He’s not playing chess. He’s not even playing checkers. He’s a bully. His staff knows it. He has a very specific skill: the ability to connect with white hillbilly high-school dropouts who are afraid "those people" are going to take their cab-driving jobs. Staff wind him up and give him opportunities to bully to make him feel good, to distract him. He doesn’t bully for a strategic reason. He bullies because he can bully. Period. Full stop. His personal “goal” is to take whatever you have in your pocket. Lunch money, a couple of marbles, a half-eaten piece of gum. He just needs to get something so he can claim victory.
That, folks, is what the next four years is going to look like. As Canadians we can only hope the federal government can negotiate a lasting tariff truce by giving him some lunch money and that Trump is bombarded with too many other pressing issues to worry about a trade war with Canada.