Donald Trump seems to like creating a flap about big issues. He seeks attention for personal glory and in trying to do the big deals he claims he’s expert at. But it’s a high risk strategy (or more likely lack of strategy). It may only take on serious misunderstanding of where he stands to precipitate a major problem.
And sensible people who may be able to manage things are left flailing around wondering where Trump’s flapping may go next.
Bloomberg: Trump’s Head-Snapping Reversals Shake Allies at Home and Abroad
Donald Trump slapped tariffs on China, then reconsidered. He yanked the U.S. from the Iran nuclear deal without a plan B. He ordered U.S. penalties on ZTE Corp. reversed to save Chinese jobs.
And on Thursday he canceled a landmark summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as abruptly as he announced it in March.
Trump has always led from the gut. But the president’s recent head-snapping decisions, made without much consultation with allies overseas or in Congress, suggest a White House that is winging it on almost every major issue.
The president’s activities have grown increasingly frenetic amid two developments: the departure of several top officials regarded as checks on his impulses and the expanding law enforcement investigations into Trump’s campaign and his associates, including lawyer Michael Cohen. Trump has demonstrated a particular obsession with the idea that the Justice Department planted an informant in his campaign, perhaps at the behest of former President Barack Obama — a conspiracy theory for which there is no evidence.
Experienced advisers including former National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster, National Economic Council director Gary Cohn and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson all exited the administration since February.
Trump’s staff turnover is another problem, creating further uncertainties, and risking a lack of checks on the President’s impulsiveness for fear of getting chucked out.
There’s no clear line between Trump’s staff turmoil, his associates’ legal troubles and his erratic policy making. And his administration contends that major decisions — on North Korea, Iran, trade with China and others — are founded on months-long deliberations. For example, a senior administration official said that Trump pulled out of the Singapore summit after a series of frustrations, including North Korea standing up U.S. negotiators who flew to the Southeast Asia city-state last week for an expected meeting to lay groundwork.
Yet Trump himself conveys the sense that every announcement is spur of the moment.
Less than four hours before the White House released Trump’s letter to Kim canceling the summit, “Fox & Friends” broadcast an interview with the president — taped the day before — in which he said there was a “good chance” the meeting would happen.
The on-off North Korea summit may be on again.
But with two erratic leaders who may be more concerned with their own egos than anything it creates a sense of chaos where the chance of disaster seems increasingly more likely.
And even if a deal is reached I don’t think either Kim or Trump can be trusted much to stick to the deal – North Korea has a long history of non-compliance, and Trump has a short history of dumping on deals he decides he doesn’t like, and creating flaps for self seeking attention or diversion from flip flops.
As long as neither starts winging it with missiles the world may survive them.
Your NZ 
Joe Bloggs
/ 26th May 2018lurcher1948
/ 26th May 2018On sale at the reduced price of $19.95
Pete George
/ 26th May 2018Corky
/ 26th May 2018Like I said yesterday…Trump will spin his irons. He has learn’t from Victor Kiam.
lurcher1948
/ 26th May 2018Some people here think the sun shines out of trumps orange orifice, delusional
sorethumb
/ 26th May 2018if Trump is terrible the alternative is invasion.
Alan Wilkinson
/ 26th May 2018Trump is clear on what he wants, not erratic. He knows Russia and China don’t want a lunatic with nuclear weapons on their doorsteps either. He is playing Kim the best way he can into a deal.
Pete George
/ 26th May 2018“Trump is clear on what he wants”
I don’t know how you can be sure of that.
Sure he’s trying to play Kim, but Kim is also trying to play Trump, the US, China and South Korea.
Alan Wilkinson
/ 26th May 2018US Intel now trying to play NZ. Claim Chinese govt is funding Labour:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12058818
Alan Wilkinson
/ 26th May 2018The big play is US vs China:
http://freebeacon.com/national-security/the-china-problem/
artcroft
/ 26th May 2018Kim already has nuclear weapons.
Gezza
/ 26th May 2018Trump is clear on what he wants, not erratic.
What he wants he’s used to getting but being a spoiled brat doesn’t make him a good POTUS. And of course he’s erratic. That’s why people working for him go nuts eventually when he shits on them overnight on twitter.
He knows Russia and China don’t want a lunatic with nuclear weapons on their doorsteps either.
They don’t – that’s why he keeps pissing Russia off when he or his administration make threatening noises about the Ukraine and support their NATO allies trying to ring Russia militarily (as per usual history with the West),
and keeps pissing China off sending aircraft carriers & troops and equipment & B2 nuclear bombers & Thad missiles into their neck of the woods.
It’s not like he likes them doing the same thing is it?
David
/ 26th May 2018“They don’t – that’s why he keeps pissing Russia off when he or his administration make threatening noises about the Ukraine and support their NATO allies trying to ring Russia militarily (as per usual history with the West),”
What happened to Trump being a Russian ‘asset’?
Gezza
/ 26th May 2018Some days he is, some days he isn’t. You know how erratic he is.
Alan Wilkinson
/ 26th May 2018Mueller is arguably greater Russian asset than Trump as the Democrats attempt to strangle the Government they lost the election to.
David
/ 26th May 2018If he is so erratic, he’s not a lot of use as an ‘asset’ now is he?
Gezza
/ 26th May 2018No, he’s not. Completely unreliable.
Alan Wilkinson
/ 26th May 2018His supporters don’t think so. They think he is delivering.
Gezza
/ 26th May 2018No, silly – he is completely unreliable as a Russian asset. One minute he’s praising Putin the next he’s applying sanctions, the following minute he’s refusing to apply more sanctions cos loves Putin again or something. He’s all over de damn place.
artcroft
/ 26th May 2018Trump had no plan detail how to repeal Obamacare; no plan as to how to replace Obamacare; he has no plan regarding building the wall; he had no plan as to how to ban muslims, he has no plan going forward on NK; no plan detailing how to manage the middle east.
He has failed, he is failing and he will continue to fail.
Alan Wilkinson
/ 26th May 2018Except he is winning. So sad.
Corky
/ 26th May 2018Like Injuns circling the wagons, Arty, Trump has plans. However, congress doesn’t have the kahunas to green light what he wants to implement.
David
/ 26th May 2018Do you even understand how the US government operates. Congress then Senate then presidential sign off not the other way round.
artcroft
/ 26th May 2018Do you even understand how reality works. You put together a plan. Sell it to the House Speaker who runs it through congress, then build support in senate via the majority leader, acquiring bipartisan support if possible along the way. If all you do is promise big dumb promises, you may get elected (there are enough dumb Americans for that) but you can’t deliver.
That’s why Trumps failing and will continue to fail.
David
/ 26th May 2018Quite the contrary which is why his numbers are on the up and dumb people are still clutching their pearls at the words he uses instead of the actual results.
Lowest black unemployment ever
first increase in real wages in 16 years
3.9% unemployment
Dow at record highs
ISIS wiped out
NAFTA being re negotiated
TPP dumped
Record low in illegal border crossings
GDP growth of 3%
etc etc etc while you sit around worrying about words. Why not focus on results.
Gezza
/ 26th May 2018ISIS wiped out.
Er … No. Not yet. Just shifted.
Alan Wilkinson
/ 27th May 2018Mostly to jail or paradise. A few to the usual Muslim hellholes and others back to the unfortunate nations they came from to be monitored by security services there.
sorethumb
/ 26th May 2018Down with Trump!
Joe Bloggs
/ 26th May 2018https://mobile.twitter.com/jeffyguy/status/1000091171828494336/photo/1
Alan Wilkinson
/ 26th May 2018Another Lefty fantasy, Joe. Rather sick malevolence.
Kitty Catkin
/ 26th May 2018Not really, just rather funny.
Alan Wilkinson
/ 26th May 2018Why? It doesn’t correspond to reality at all. Kim is in dire straits, Russia not much better economically, and China is capitulating to Trump on tariffs. All it does is satisfy people who hate Trump that they have company. Though they shouldn’t be proud of aligning with the likes of Kim, Putin and Xi – guess they are that desperate.
Kitty Catkin
/ 26th May 2018The Kick Me sign is an oldie, it was around in the c.19. I don’t see this cartoon as malevolent, just making fun of all concerned. I don’t hate Trump, I despise him.
Alan Wilkinson
/ 26th May 2018And Netanyahu?
Kitty Catkin
/ 26th May 2018He’s not in that cartoon, so is irrelevant.
Alan Wilkinson
/ 26th May 2018Just wondered if you despise him too as Trump’s friend.
Gezza
/ 26th May 2018Don’t think you could describe Kitty as Trump’s friend by any means Al.
Alan Wilkinson
/ 26th May 2018I wouldn’t and didn’t G.
Gezza
/ 26th May 2018Actually, you did. Although you didn’t mean to.
Alan Wilkinson
/ 27th May 2018Actually I didn’t since the phrase refers to the nearest pronoun not the furthest.
David
/ 26th May 2018They said the same deal when Reagan was President and negotiating with the Russians, turned out the commentariat were as dead set stupid as they are today.
After lording the total ineptness of Obama commentators should probably be a little more self aware.
Kitty Catkin
/ 26th May 2018‘Lording the total ineptness’ ?
Pete, you forgot to add ‘FLUP !’ for when Trump falls flat on his face.
Alan Wilkinson
/ 26th May 2018A more balanced headline article in Bloomberg:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-05-25/trump-says-kim-summit-could-still-happen-on-june-12
Alan Wilkinson
/ 26th May 2018A Democrat with a still functioning brain:
http://thefederalist.com/2018/05/24/im-democrat-lefts-russia-gaslighting-scares-trump/
Alan Wilkinson
/ 26th May 2018Conrad Black on Trump’s foreign policy fronts – NK, Iran, Palestine:
https://amgreatness.com/2018/05/25/making-international-relations-great-again/