If Trump still uses his TV tactics he'll end up in the same hearse as the Pope

 

The United States and China have initiated contact under the pretext of addressing the fentanyl crisis, but in essence, this serves as a preliminary maneuver to gauge each other's positions ahead of forthcoming trade negotiations. It is highly probable that the upcoming talks in Switzerland will yield no substantive outcomes, particularly as China has dispatched officials who are not responsible for economic or trade affairs.

President Trump initially sought to exert maximum pressure to inflate his bargaining power, aggressively targeting China to secure advantageous concessions and ultimately compel China to accept a relatively lower tariff rate. His proposed 145% tariff would effectively dismantle bilateral trade; however, the reality is that the economic and trade relationship between China and the U.S. cannot be severed in the short to medium term. While China, as the United States' primary global competitor and the world’s largest authoritarian state, merits strategic containment, its rise was significantly enabled by American support. Effective containment demands a long-term strategy, coordinated with allies and underpinned by thorough preparation, rather than relying solely on Trump’s personal inclinations and instincts. As with other decisions made during his tenure, these actions are not without practical justification, but they lack the essential conditions for successful execution. Furthermore, Trump has a history of arbitrarily reversing decisions, reneging on commitments, and operating as an untrustworthy businessman whose practices fall short of even basic commercial standards.

Having faced multiple bankruptcies due to mismanagement, Trump either profited by exploiting legal loopholes to undermine competitors or relied on Russian capital to extricate himself from financial difficulties. Since returning to office, he has reverted to his former business tactics, insisting that other nations must compensate for allegedly exploiting the U.S. In essence, he demands that trading partners incur losses rather than profits when dealing with the U.S. This self-serving, predatory approach mirrors the strategies that led to his repeated bankruptcies. By managing the nation as if it were a corporation, he is steering the United States toward inevitable decline. His exposure as a Soviet operative, corroborated by his son’s public acknowledgment of the disproportionately high share of Russian funds in their business, confirms that Trump was recruited as a spy during visits to the former Soviet Union. His presidential election was also facilitated by the so-called “Russiagate.” This explains why Russia is exempt from his global tariff campaigns, unlike smaller African and Latin American nations that are compelled to pay.

The abrupt resumption of partial arms sales to Ukraine is driven by specific circumstances: Putin’s refusal to agree to a ceasefire, Zelenskyy’s unwillingness to cede territory or pay reparations, and European nations’ decision to independently support Ukraine’s resistance, bypassing the U.S. With Trump’s Soviet affiliations exposed and his pledge of a “24-hour ceasefire” discredited, he is unable to mediate and has temporarily withdrawn from the role. Similar to his threats against Greenland, Canada, Mexico, and Panama, his trade war against China is likely to end inconclusively. China’s strategy is to endure the loss of the U.S. market, which, though significant, can be sustained by an authoritarian regime capable of absorbing short-term setbacks. China’s economy is far from collapse, and by maintaining a resolute stance in the short to medium term, it anticipates that the U.S. will ultimately falter. By late June, the U.S. must issue new treasury bonds, domestic inventories will be exhausted, and the consequences of disrupted supply chains are already evident, with significant price increases inevitable. Domestic dissent is intensifying, and the aggressive global tariff campaign has reached an impasse, placing Trump in a precarious position.

Should China persist in its opposition, other nations may follow, resulting in disruptions to U.S. goods and material supplies that could affect public welfare and generate substantial pressure ahead of the midterm elections. However, conceding to China would signify the failure of the trade war, with even greater implications for his administration. China’s reluctance to engage in negotiations stems from Trump’s unpredictable behavior; since his first term, he has consistently targeted China. Consequently, even at the cost of significant trade losses, China is determined to resolve the “Trump issue” decisively. During the first trade war, China effectively countered by rerouting exports through third countries, doubling its trade volume with the U.S., and expanding overseas production and sales. For the current trade war, China’s minimum condition is a U.S. commitment to rescind all tariffs imposed on China to date and to pledge no further suppression—otherwise, negotiations are non-negotiable. As a result, the trade conflict is poised to be protracted, continuing until a scenario favorable to China emerges, such as internal U.S. turmoil driven by goods shortages.

While the loss of Chinese goods has minimal impact on America’s affluent elite, it poses a survival challenge for the broader public. Trump’s primary objective in this term is to amass vast wealth for his family, and he has already secured substantial profits through issuing digital currencies, engaging in insider trading, and covertly manipulating financial markets. His support for Russia also comes with a price. China seeks to de-escalate the trade war, but some form of profit-sharing or concessions will likely be inevitable. For Trump, this ensures an impregnable position. His rhetoric of “Making America Great Again” is merely a pretext to mislead the uninformed American electorate. Trump’s ascent in the U.S. was propelled by unexpected fame from reality television, leveraging media attention to generate topics and controversy. His current erratic actions are rooted in this strategy, now extended from the U.S. to the global stage.

His stunt of dressing as the Pope was intended to capture public attention and generate topics, but excessive media manipulation risks public fatigue with his outlandish behavior, leading to a loss of interest and marketability. Moreover, given his advanced age, he will eventually exit the political stage, and the American public, feeling deceived, will likely demand accountability. Given his precarious circumstances, it is conceivable that one day he could be found deceased at Mar-a-Lago or elsewhere, with an official investigation concluding it was suicide, with no suspicious circumstances.