01 May Donald Trump’s Negotiation Tactic Is a One-Trick Pony! Always the same: “Deal or I walk away… Deal or I walk away… Deal or I walk away…”

In real-life negotiations, we often encounter one-trick ponies – people who rely on a single strategy: pressure, toughness, dominance. While this might deliver short-term results, it blocks relationships, trust, and sustainable success in the long run. The true art of negotiation lies in choosing the right tool at the right moment.

So why is Trump perceived as a one-trick pony in negotiations? Whether in business or politics, Trump consistently applies the same tactic:

• He starts with an extreme demand: “Build the wall – and Mexico will pay for it.” Trump often opens with extreme positions – shocking, sometimes even absurd, right from the start.
• He deliberately destabilizes his counterparts through provocation and confrontation: “Let’s make Canada part of the U.S.” What sounded like a bad joke to many was, in fact, a direct attack on Canada’s national sovereignty designed to put Justin Trudeau under massive pressure.
• He stages dominance, often via public attacks: "You are putting the lives of millions at risk. You are risking a Third World War." His public shaming of Zelenskyy in front of the cameras, supported by Vice President JD Vance, shocked the world.
• He builds up threats and sets ultimatums: “I am a Tariff Man.” Long lists of disproportionate trade tariffs or threats to pull out of international agreements (like the Paris Climate Accord or the Iran Deal) are used as pressure tactics.

This is a classic pattern of the hardball negotiation style – extremely demanding, risk-tolerant, and often lacking in relationship-building. In many cases, it seems like he only has one play, regardless of the context – hence, a one-trick pony.

But it’s not quite that simple. In the past – for instance, as a real estate developer – Trump also closed deals that were calculated, creative, and flexible. Behind the scenes, he was capable of concessions and compromises – if it served his personal interests.

The key difference lies in stage vs. backstage:

• On stage: loud, confrontational, black-and-white
• Behind the scenes: tactical, though still with a limited toolkit

In summary, Trump is a prime example of negotiators who act like a one-trick pony in public – following the same stimulus-response patterns over and over again. But beware! Even the loudest one-trick pony can have hidden strategies. Still, one thing remains true: those who want to negotiate successfully and credibly over the long term need more than volume – they need a real repertoire.

Would you like to learn more about Trump’s negotiation tactics? Feel free to contact us. We’ll introduce you and your team to “The Art of the Deal” and show you how to transfer its methods into your world. Which approaches can serve as inspiration? And how should you react when you have less bargaining power?

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