Source: Washington Monthly
by Bill Scher
“The dubious claim that Trump mastered ‘The Art of the Deal’ has long been central to his hyper-successful billionaire persona. … However, as president, on May 8, 2018, Trump abandoned his mend-it-don’t-end-it position and withdrew from the Iran deal, despite Tehran’s compliance, according to international inspectors. To salvage his dealmaker reputation, two days later on Twitter, he glibly announced plans for a summit with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. A bromance between the two blossomed, producing a slapdash agreement that did nothing to contain North Korea’s growing nuclear arsenal. Later that year, Trump reopened trade talks with Canada and Mexico and supplanted the North American Free Trade Agreement with the United States-Mexico-Canada agreement. The new trade deal was only marginally different, but it was Trump’s.” (03/06/26)
https://washingtonmonthly.com/2026/03/06/with-iran-obama-displayed-the-art-of-the-deal-trump-didnt/