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Trumps flip floppy in beyond concerning .

Part of "deal making" is always negotiating terms, and showing trade partners and competitors that they can improve the outcome.

That generally works on a micro-level (e.g. constructing a single hotel or office building) than on a macro level (Fortune 100 companies trying to determine international manufacturing strategy for the next five years or more).

Trump is partly hamstrung by a congress unwilling to push hard for his trade agenda. Further complicate by foreign policy considerations. Remember when Pakistan got their own nukes, and we announced sanctions? We reversed them when we needed their assistance in Afghanistan. Message? Ignore sanctions and wait for the U.S. to drop them in exchange for ceremonial or very limited cooperation. That would be done by either party, and likely Trump. He inherited a messy world, and his approach is to tinker on the fly, responding to counter-offers (many unseen by the general public). It is not thepath I would generally use, but it is built into the package, I am afraid.

**Ignore sanctions and wait for the U.S. to drop them in exchange for ceremonial or very limited cooperation.**

Understood. A photo-op in the WH w/Trump does wonders for the folks back home in terms of popularity. Gives the look of equals even though they’re not.