May 25, 2018
Trump Has No Idea How Diplomatic Deals Work
Earlier this week, the New York Times ran a remarkable story explaining all of the ways in which the Trump administration botched its high-stakes trade negotiations with China. I am not an expert on China and don’t know that much about trade, but I do know a little something about diplomatic negotiations. I was part of the team led by then-U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry that tried and failed to negotiate peace between Israelis and Palestinians from 2013 to 2014, and though I was not on the team that negotiated the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran, I was part of the small interagency group that worked on this issue in the years before negotiations got serious and watched them very closely throughout.
Based on these experiences, what was stunning to learn about the China trade negotiations was how at every step of the way, U.S. President Donald Trump’s economic team did precisely the wrong thing. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, Director of Trade and Industrial Policy Peter Navarro, Chief Economic Advisor Larry Kudlow, and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross executed a textbook case study in how to not conduct international negotiations.
Read the Full Article at Foreign Policy
More from CNAS
-
How to Kick-start Syria’s Reconstruction
Given that there are so many stakeholders interested in Syria’s future, it’s unlikely that all countries will agree on the best way to support its transition, but they don’t n...
By Delaney Soliday & Kate Johnston
-
Arab League Summit in Iraq Falls Short
There are many who have argued about the insignificance of the Arab League altogether, but from an Iraqi perspective, taking on the responsibility to host it also involves tak...
By Hamzeh Hadad
-
Ziemba: U.S. Has To Be Ready To Accept Mideast Investments
US President Donald Trump has secured $200 billion in deals during a visit to the United Arab Emirates, according to the White House, as he wraps up his visit to the Middle Ea...
By Rachel Ziemba
-
Trump Inks $600 Bn Deal In Saudi Arabia | Musk, Blackrock CEO Flank Trump In Gulf Visit
In today's episode of India Global, U.S. President Donald Trump secured a $600 billion commitment from Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to invest in the United States. NDTV's Gaurie Dw...
By Daniel Silverberg