Trump’s Real Art of the Deal: Blow Everything Up. See What Breaks. Take What Doesn’t.

Forget the book. Trump’s real deal-making philosophy has always been:

Destabilize the system, watch what survives, then stake a claim on the winners. 

The 90-day tariff moratorium — excluding China — is just the latest example. On paper, it’s about inflation. In reality, it’s classic Econopolitics.

Coined by sociologist Anthony Giddens, econopolitics explains how economics and politics have fused. In this world, trade isn’t just about cost. It’s about control. Policy isn’t policy — it’s performance. That’s exactly what we’re seeing play out right now.

🧩 This Isn’t About Trade — It’s About Power

The 90-day tariff relief isn't global. It's surgical. Everyone but China gets breathing space. That's not coincidence — that’s pressure applied with precision.

At first glance, it looks like a move to lower prices. But dig deeper, and it's a message to manufacturers:

“Start testing life outside of China. You’ve got 90 days to try.”

It’s not long enough to relocate, but it’s long enough to create doubt. And in geopolitics, doubt is currency.

🧠 Trump Can’t Lean on the Fed Anymore

Back in 2019, Trump had Powell cornered. Rattling markets forced three rate cuts. That buffer let Trump ramp up tariffs while keeping stocks steady. But this time?

Bond markets have already sold off. The Fed isn’t cutting.

So Trump pivots:

• Instead of nuking trade with new tariffs,

• He selectively lifts existing ones —

• Especially for firms that anchor U.S. equity markets.

Exhibit A: Apple and Nvidia just got a moratorium.

That’s not weakness — that’s controlled chaos.He’s keeping Wall Street happy while still posturing tough on China.

Giddens Would Say: This Is Econopolitics 101

Anthony Giddens argued that modern leaders don’t choose between politics and economics — they weaponize both at once.

This move checks every box:

• 📉 Tariffs used to apply pressure on global rivals

• 💹 Exemptions used to protect domestic equity sentiment

• 🧠 Ambiguity used to create fear and flexibility simultaneously

It’s not diplomacy. It’s disruption — strategic, selective, and staged.

Summary: Trump’s Playing Chess, Not Chicken

Trump doesn’t have the Fed this time. He doesn’t have room to detonate markets. So he’s threading a needle instead:

• Just tough enough to keep voters happy

• Just soft enough to avoid triggering panic

• Just messy enough that only the strongest supply chains survive

And when they do? He’ll claim the win.

That, like Giddens would say, is the new face of power — where every trade move is a political calculation, and every economic shock is a strategy trial.