Trump's dealmaker image hits a wall
President Trump's reputation as a consummate dealmaker is being challenged by his second-term record.
Why it matters: Supporters inside and outside the White House regularly rhapsodize his negotiating skills. Unorthodox moves are lauded as part of " The Art of the Deal."
If Trump's dealmaking stature were to erode, it could limit his flexibility on everything from tariffs to taxes.
The big picture: The bar Trump set for himself may have been impossibly high, but he's a long way from clearing it.
He said he'd make peace in Ukraine on day one. That was more than 140 days ago.
He said he'd make peace in Gaza. A ceasefire collapsed months ago, and talks are deadlocked.
A two-month deadline for reaching a nuclear deal with Iran expires on Thursday.
He said that trade wars were "good and easy to win." So far, the U.S. doesn't have a single trade deal finalized and implemented. The closest ones are with the U.K., with which America has a trade surplus, and with China, which remains just a framework.
He hasn't yet approved deals over the future of either TikTok or U.S. Steel.
The "Big Beautiful Bill" is increasingly unlikely to hit his desk by July 4th.
Zoom in: In some cases, like on China trade and U.S. Steel, Trump has prematurely proclaimed that deals are done.
In other cases, like the $600 billion in pledged investments from Saudi Arabia, many of the specifics have been kept private.
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