President Donald Trump has long sold himself to the American public as a master negotiator. From his real estate empire to the campaign trail, he’s leaned heavily on his persona as a shrewd dealmaker—the man who could fix what politicians couldn’t. But behind closed doors, even Trump is now admitting that sealing diplomatic victories has proven harder than advertised.
According to a new report from The Wall Street Journal, Trump recently opened up about his frustrations during a private donor event at Mar-a-Lago. Attendees say the president expressed deep disappointment over his inability to broker peace deals in Ukraine and Gaza, two conflicts he pledged to resolve swiftly upon returning to the Oval Office.
One donor, who spoke anonymously, said Trump told the room that his failure to end the war in Ukraine keeps him up at night. “Putin wants the whole thing,” Trump reportedly said, referring to Russia’s demand for broad concessions from Ukraine. It’s a sobering shift in tone from a president who has frequently suggested that Vladimir Putin is a reasonable negotiator.
Trump also acknowledged the complexity of ending the war in Gaza, describing it as a conflict “they’ve been fighting for a thousand years.” That kind of fatalistic language stands in stark contrast to his campaign-trail bravado, where he repeatedly claimed he could deliver peace in the Middle East through personal diplomacy.
Trump’s difficulties come as no surprise to foreign policy experts. Dan Baer, a former ambassador under President Obama, told the Journal that “showmanship has its place, but successful diplomacy demands persistence and detail.” He noted that flashy statements may capture headlines, but they rarely move the needle in complex geopolitical conflicts.
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The president’s reputation as a closer of big deals was cemented decades ago with the 1987 release of The Art of the Deal, a best-selling business book that helped craft his public image. But translating business instincts into diplomatic outcomes has proven more elusive, particularly during his second term in office.
Kyle Haynes, a political science professor at Purdue University, suggested that Trump may have overpromised on the campaign trail. “If he hadn’t claimed he could end these wars on Day One, the bar wouldn’t be so high,” Haynes said. “But he did—and now he’s boxed in.”
Despite these setbacks, Trump did notch what appeared to be a win over the weekend by announcing a ceasefire between India and Pakistan after months of escalating tension. However, the celebration was short-lived. Within hours, India accused Pakistan of violating the agreement, casting doubt on the durability of the truce.
Still, the White House is pushing back against criticism. In a statement to the Journal, Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly emphasized that Trump is “laser-focused on achieving global peace and protecting American interests.” She pointed to recent diplomatic achievements, including the release of 47 Americans held abroad, a ceasefire agreement with Houthi rebels, and increased defense contributions from NATO allies.
While some of these claims are difficult to independently verify, they reflect the administration’s determination to present Trump as a leader who’s delivering on his promises—even when the results are murky.
Whether Trump’s self-image as the ultimate negotiator holds up through the remainder of his second term remains to be seen. But for now, the man who once claimed he could end wars with a handshake is finding that the real world doesn’t always bend to the art of the deal.
Source: TheDailyBeast
