Donald Trump built his career on high-stakes real estate deals, and when he entered politics, he applied the same negotiation tactics. Unlike career politicians who rely on bureaucratic processes, he approached policy the way a developer negotiates land deals—with bold offers, strategic leverage, and high-risk plays.
Think Big – A staple of real estate dealmaking is aiming for something so large that even a partial win feels like success. The border wall was a perfect example: an extreme opening offer that set the tone for the debate.
Protect the Downside – Trump renegotiated NAFTA by ensuring there were fallback options, so if talks collapsed, the U.S. wouldn’t be left with bad terms. In real estate, this is about structuring deals where risks are minimized.
Maximize Options – With North Korea, he kept negotiations unpredictable—moving from military threats to diplomacy within months. In business, this would be like negotiating multiple properties at once to maintain leverage.
Know Your Market – He understood his voter base the way a developer understands demand. Just as a real estate investor tailors deals to specific demographics, he shaped policies to appeal directly to those most likely to support them.
Use Leverage – Tariffs on China were a textbook leverage move. In real estate, this would be like threatening to walk away from a deal to pressure the other side into making concessions.
Enhance Location – He approached international diplomacy as if countries were properties, emphasizing their strategic value over traditional alliances.
This style of negotiation is aggressive, high-stakes, and doesn’t follow standard political norms. In real estate, these tactics can yield big wins or major losses—depending on execution and timing.
So, does applying these strategies in politics show sharp dealmaking instincts, or is it reckless when applied to international relations?