The Debrief: An occasional series offering a reporter’s insights
In President Trump’s telling, everyone he’s negotiating with has something in common: They’re all dying to make a deal with him.
Whether it’s Iran, China, Japan, Russia or the Taliban — Trump claims there’s a mad rush by foreign friends and foes alike to sit at the table with him and negotiate on his terms. He has repeated the same boastful talking point even as he’s struggled to finalize major deals.
“Let me tell you, the China trade deal is dependent on one thing: Do I want to make it?” Trump said Tuesday during a summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization alliance in London. The Chinese, he added, “want to make a deal now.”