Trump’s ‘dealmaker-in-chief’ reputation comes under attack in Iran

President Trump’s reputation as a self-described master negotiator is on the line as his push to bring an end to the Iran war is beset by missed deadlines and setbacks on the ground. 

The war, which Trump said would last between four to five weeks, hit its 100th day over the weekend. The president said Tuesday that a peace deal could be reached with Iran within the week, but Americans have heard similar comments dozens of times since the start of the operation.

On Tuesday, the U.S. launched attacks on Iran after Trump said Iranians shot down a U.S. Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz. It was unclear how the latest battle would affect efforts to reach a longer-term peace deal.

Trump’s critics are using Iran to lambaste his dealmaking image.

“Donald Trump is one of the worst negotiators in the world, and the public image of him is built completely on self-promotion of the idea that he knows how to make a deal,” said Joe Cirincione, the vice chair of the Center for International Policy’s board of directors. “What he does know is how to use power and intimidation to compel people to follow his will.”

“I am hard pressed to think of any agreement where Trump has actually negotiated that has had a lasting impact,” he said.

Cirincione pointed to the Russia-Ukraine war, which Trump vowed would be soon over after his return to office, and the lack of a lasting peace deal in Gaza, as examples of Trump negotiations failing.

The White House responded to criticisms of Trump’s efforts with its typical ferocity, arguing Trump had ended various conflicts around the world.

“Time and again, the Panicans have been proven wrong about President Trump’s foreign policy agenda,” White House spokesperson Olivia Wales said, using a term the president coined to describe easily panicked........

© The Hill