‘Dealmaker' Trump Frustrated By Inability to Strike Deals
President Donald Trump, who publicly touts himself as a 'dealmaker-in-chief,' is privately upset at his failure to strike deals that will end the two wars he has sought to end, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.
At a closed-door meeting with top donors at Mar-a-Lago last week, Trump admitted that the frustration he feels from his inability to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine keeps him up at night, people in the room told the WSJ.
He said that Russian President Vladimir Putin, who Trump has frequently claimed is negotiating in good faith, has been driving an especially hard bargain. Putin wants 'the whole thing,' Trump said, referring to Ukraine.
The president also told the audience that bringing the war in Gaza to an end was tough, he had found, because 'they'd been fighting for a thousand years,' the Journal reported.
Trump has marketed himself as a wily negotiator since long before he entered the political arena. During his first life as a real estate developer, Trump's profile was elevated by the 1987 release of a best-selling book that shared his business strategy: The Art of the Deal.
The posturing hasn't translated into concrete success during his second term in office. Despite vowing to bring a quick end to the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, the president has yet to deliver on either promise.
'Bluster and theatrics have their role in diplomatic high-wire acts, but so do details and hard work,' Dan Baer, a former ambassador in Barack Obama's administration, told the Journal.
Kyle Haynes, a foreign policy professor at Purdue University, told the Journal that Trump's wild claims—like that he would end the Russia-Ukraine war on his first day in office—opened the door to harsh criticism when the reality falls short.
'If he hadn't promised such things repeatedly throughout the campaign, it'd be wildly unfair to criticize him for failing to achieve them,' Haynes said. 'But he did.'
Trump delivered perhaps the first major diplomatic victory of his second term on Saturday, when he announced that India and Pakistan had agreed to a ceasefire after months of rising tensions. Within hours, however, India accused Pakistan of violating the agreement.
In a statement to the Journal, White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly said that Trump had been 'laser-focused on delivering peace around the world and stopping bad actors from doing harm to Americans and our allies.'
'Their approach has been successful—Houthis agreed to a ceasefire, 47 Americans detained abroad have come home, NATO countries are increasing defense spending, China is deterred, and we are closer to peace in the Russia-Ukraine War than ever before,' she said.
The White House did not immediately respond to The Daily Beast's request for comment on the Journal's article.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Buzz Feed
12 minutes ago
- Buzz Feed
What Do Vets And Military Members Think Of Airstrikes
On Sunday, President Donald Trump facilitated US airstrikes on three nuclear facilities in Iran without congressional approval. By Monday, Iran retaliated by firing missiles at a US base in Qatar. Considering all this, I am curious how active military members and veterans view the conflict. So I'm asking those in our BuzzFeed Community to weigh in. Maybe you're a veteran who fought in the Vietnam War, and you remember all too well what it was like to be drafted into a situation you felt was unnecessary. Now, you're hoping things don't escalate for the worse. Or maybe you voted for Trump because he campaigned on being a peace-bringer and anti-war. Now, you see his actions as antithetical to his intended presidency, and you feel betrayed. Or maybe you're an active duty soldier who sees war as necessary, even if it's not ideal. You're willing to do whatever the commander-in-chief asks of you. Whatever the case may be, active military members and veterans, please share your thoughts in the comments. Or, if you'd like to remain anonymous, use the Google Form below.
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Oil is falling so much it's now cheaper than it was before the Iran-Israel conflict
Oil prices fell sharply Tuesday, returning to levels last seen before the Iran-Israel conflict, as investors cheered news of a ceasefire, albeit fragile, between the two countries. Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was trading 5.8% lower on the day Tuesday afternoon at $66.44 a barrel. West Texas Intermediate crude, the US oil benchmark, was also trading 5.8% down at $64.50 a barrel. These levels are broadly comparable to the closing prices before Israel launched an unprecedented attack on Iranian nuclear facilities on June 13. That assault triggered a 12-day conflict that has led both sides to fire a barrage of missiles into the other's territory, as well as direct military involvement by Israel's biggest ally, the United States. President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire late Monday, though hours later Israel accused Iran of violating the terms and vowed to launch fresh strikes on Tehran. Iran denied the allegations. US stocks were in the green. The Dow was trading more than 515 points, or 1.21%, higher by early afternoon. The S&P 500 was 1.12% higher, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq rose 1.5%. The S&P 500 was trading less than 1% away from an all-time high. The Nasdaq was 1.3% away from an all-time high. In Asia, stock indexes closed the day higher. Hong Kong's Hang Seng finished up 2% and mainland China's Shanghai Composite was 1.2% higher on the day. Meanwhile, in Europe, the benchmark STOXX Europe 600 index, which includes UK-listed companies, closed higher by 1.11%. 'There could be hiccups along the way, but the market is saying this (conflict) is likely over,' Robert Yawger, commodities specialist at Mizuho Securities, told CNN Tuesday. 'Markets breathed a sigh of relief following Trump's ceasefire declaration, but the celebration could be short-lived,' said Lukman Otunuga, senior market analyst at FXTM, in a note to investors. 'If tensions flare again or the ceasefire is violated, we could see a swift return to risk aversion — boosting safe havens like gold and pressuring global equities.' The ceasefire makes it less likely that global oil supplies will be disrupted. Many investors have been worried that Iran could close the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway ferrying around a quarter of the world's oil supply, according to figures from the International Energy Agency. That scenario — which would likely send oil prices skyward — now appears less of a threat. Goldman Sachs has estimated that oil prices could blow past $100 a barrel if there is an 'extended disruption' to the strait. Assuming the ceasefire holds, Brent crude could hover 'near the $70 per barrel level while clarity on a US-Iran deal emerges,' said Mukesh Sahdev, global head of commodity markets at Rystad Energy. 'The prospect of severe economic fallout from a potential blockade (of the strait) likely motivated both sides to agree to the ceasefire, if it is indeed genuine,' he wrote in a note. While oil prices shot up after the Iran-Israel conflict began, touching a five-month high last week, they tanked Monday after Iran launched targeted and limited missile strikes on US bases in Qatar. US crude tumbled 7.2% to settle at $68.51 a barrel, the biggest one-day drop since early April and one of its worst days over the past three years. Brent closed at $71.48 a barrel, down 7.2%, the steepest decline since August 2022 . CNN's Matt Egan and John Towfighi contributed reporting. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Hamilton Spectator
19 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
UN peacekeeper killed in attack by armed men in Central African Republic
DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — A United Nations peacekeeper was killed during an attack by armed men in Central African Republic, the UN said on Tuesday as the Security Council expressed concerns over growing attacks against peacekeepers in the country. A Zambian peacekeeper was killed Friday when suspected Sudanese armed groups attacked a U.N. peacekeeping patrol team close to the country's northern border with Sudan in the village of Am-Sissia 1, according to a statement from the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General. A second peacekeeper was injured and is undergoing medical treatment. The victim was identified as 33-year-old Stephen Muloké Sachachoma, a member of the Zambian military with MINUSCA, the U.N. peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic. Mulambo Haimbe, Zambia's minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation, demanded that those responsible be brought to justice in accordance with international law. 'Zambia remains resolute in its commitment to advancing international peace and security as a foundation for sustainable development, both at regional and global levels,' Haimbe said in a statement. It marked the third attack this year against the U.N. peacekeeping mission in the country, often carried out by armed groups vying for control and targeting security forces in conflict-hit areas. 'The members of the Security Council expressed their deep concern over the increasing number of attacks against peacekeepers in the Central African Republic,' said the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General. Central African Republic has been battling conflict since 2013, when predominantly Muslim rebels seized power and forced then President François Bozizé from office. A 2019 peace deal only partially lessened the fighting, and six of the 14 armed groups that signed it later withdrew from the agreement. The country is among the first in Africa to welcome Russia-backed forces, with Moscow seeking to help protect authorities and fight armed groups. However, these forces have been accused of human rights violations and, in some cases, exacerbating security issues. ____ Jacob Zimba contributed from Lusaka, Zambia ____ AP's Africa coverage at: Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
