In the turbulent landscape of global trade, President Donald Trump’s latest move ~ to dispatch unilateral tariff letters to 12 countries with “take it or leave it” terms ~ signals not strength but desperation masquerading as decisiveness. The decision to bypass negotiations and impose pre-set tariff structures upends decades of hard-won norms in international economic relations. It may resonate with a domestic audience primed for economic nationalism, but globally, it is a risky shortcut that could deepen uncertainty, provoke retaliation, and ultimately isolate the US from the very trade flows it seeks to dominate. This pivot to letter diplomacy comes after months of faltering talks with key partners like the European Union and India.

It reflects a growing impatience in the Trump administration with the slow grind of multilateral negotiations. The rationale seems to be........

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