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Most of Trump's behavior makes sense when you realize his dealmaking strategy is bullying: 1. Exert maximun possible pressure 2. Strike the best deal possible
by ethbr1 1y ago
Most of Trump's behavior makes sense when you realize his dealmaking strategy is bullying:
1. Exert maximun possible pressure
2. Strike the best deal possible
Reasons only matter in the sense of selecting initial targets. Once into dealmaking, it's anything and everything thrown at an opponent.
You can see this in terms of what stops him: equal counterpressure (China) or consequences (US stocks and treasuries being dumped)
Similarly, once a deal is struck, reasons again don't matter.
- anigbrowl 1y agoThe problem is that deals made under duress have little lasting value. The bullied party feels little moral compunction to uphold the terms a moment longer than necessary, plus they will naturally be skeptical of the bullying party's commitment to do so in the future.
- ethbr1 1y agoOh, it's absolutely asinine. Which is why international geopolitics and real estate differ.