The trade policy of the United States during Donald Trump's first term (2017-20) was truly astonishing. Although Washington’s series of tariff hikes seemed troubling from Seoul’s perspective, one could not help but admire Trump’s "art of the deal," which ultimately enabled him to achieve his objectives. I envied the American people for having a leader like Trump.

After Trump was reelected as president with overwhelming support in November, I was eager to see what kind of dealmaking he would employ this time to advance American interests. However, I have been disappointed with the trade policies announced so far. Can “The Return of the King” really save America? Compared to his first term, the biggest weakness of Trump’s current approach is that he occasionally appears hesitant. The tariff hikes on specific countries and products were expected. If he had pushed forward with the universal tariffs he mentioned during his campaign immediately upon taking office, I would have thought, that’s the Trump I know — bold and relentless. Even if such a move led to a global economic downturn, a strategy of universal tariffs — committing to a full-scale economic showdown — might have forced more world leaders to yield to Trump. While he loudly proclaims that the U.S. economy is strong, he seems to be concealing an underlying concern. It could be what the liberal media in the U.S. call "Trumpflation," and it seems unlikely that "New York’s president”........

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