WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump introduced himself to Americans as a master negotiator who would surround himself with the best people and bring his ‘art of the deal’ to Washington.
But the division in conversations about coronavirus delivery is simply the latest in a series of failures to break bilingual agreements. Not only has the president been detached from the nitty-gritty of policy, he has shown an opportunity to delegate the task of negotiating to hardliners with a limited understanding of how Democrats think, supporters in both parties complain.
On issues ranging from COVID-19 health care assistance to immigration immigration, Trump has failed to find common ground with Congress that could produce large, sweeping compromise legislation.
Trump blames Democrats reliably, claiming the other side is not playing fair. Some of his critics doubt that the intrusion is unintentional, as Trump is pursuing re-implementing actions to support his image as the only person who can bring about change in a broken ‘swamp’.
But Democrats and some Republicans on Capitol Hill point to Trump’s choice of negotiators – advisers who represent the most conservative wing of his administration – as part of the problem.
A former Republican aide to the House of Representatives, who spoke on condition of anonymity to speak honestly, said the lack of good negotiators surrounding Trump is “indicative of the fact that he, with a few exceptions, has to with C-list talent in his administration. “
“So it’s what it is,” complained the aide.
This time, the consequences of theft could be politically devastating. Trump’s failure to close a deal will go unnoticed on November 3, as the economy remains crippled by a pandemic that most voters say is a product of the president’s abuse.
‘Find a reasonable partner’
With only two days until a self-imposed deadline to get a deal on coronavirus relief, a meeting last Wednesday between Trump’s representatives and Speaker Nancy Pelosi of the Democrats and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer struck a chord before it began, according to two sources familiar with the meeting.
Pelosi, who was the caller in her office, forbade the negotiators to bring their cell phones into the room so that no one could record the calls.
White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows denied. He was waiting for a call from Trump, one source said, confirming an incident first reported by The Washington Post. A controversial back-and-forth with Pelosi ensued.
The other White House negotiator, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, tried to play peacekeeper, stationed a staff member to keep the phone out, which came on and interrupted Meadows when the call came, the source said.
Meadows is not the only one who has struggled to secure deals with Congress Democrats. Trump’s roster of negotiators and councilors has included his predecessor Mick Mulvaney, two founders of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus; and senior adviser Stephen Miller, an outspoken restrictionist.
Matt House, a Democratic adviser and former communications director for Schumer, said Trump continues to “send out emissaries that only make it impossible for Democrats to find a reasonable partner.”
“For all his talks as the ultimate dealmaker, he remains committed to the most conservative forces in the party,” House said. “That’s why he’s sending Freedom Caucus members to negotiate spending swaps, and Stephen Miller in there to blow up immigration offers.”
Meadows is a former congressman known on Capitol Hill for objecting to two-partisan deals in the pursuit of more conservative policies. However, Mnuchin is seen by Democrats as a viable partner and an exception to the president’s more ideological emissaries.
House, who maintains close relations on Capitol Hill, called Mnuchin a “bright spot” in talks on the $ 2.2 trillion CARES Act in March, but said he was “governed this time by the inclusion of Mark Meadows.”
Mulvaney led the talks on government funding that resulted in a 35-day government closure in 2018, stemming from Trump’s demand for border wall money. Months later, leaders from both parties worked to sideline Mulvaney to prevent a recurrence.
Last year, Mulvaney publicly questioned the signing of an infrastructure financing deal after Trump agreed with Democrats to negotiate a $ 2 trillion package. The former White House aide has fired the president for undermining his efforts.
Earlier in 2018, Trump relied on Miller, an ardent opponent of immigration, to make policies of administration that dealt with a two-part deal to legalize young “Dreamers” and provide $ 25 billion to build its border wall.
Brendan Buck, who was an adviser to former House Speaker Paul Ryan, said the issue was partly about political incentives and partly about a lack of direction from the summit.
“You don’t necessarily need someone close to Democrats to negotiate effectively,” he said. “What you need are clear goals and principles and a sense of what to do, but the president typically does not have those.”
‘Deals are my art form’
At the heart of Trump’s first campaign campaign was the idea that voters got him – the only one who could bring about change in Washington – and his skills, meaning he remained on the sidelines of negotiations leaving his team to run for office. to maintain action.
And now his re-election could depend on it, raising questions about why the president has reversed the course while watching his question numbers drop. Instead, Trump signed a handful of executive orders that he says will achieve the same goals, but are likely to face legal and logistical challenges.
Trump emphasizes that neither he nor his team is the problem. White House adviser Peter Navarro accused Democrats of sabotaging the coronavirus talks.
“Democrats would prefer the economy to go into the tank for another 90 days because that would hurt the president,” Navarro told NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
But the struggle to reach major agreements spans issues ranging from health care to infrastructure to immigration and challenges the personal brand of a president who once sei, “Deals are my art form.”
“Other people paint beautifully when writing poetry,” Trump said in 2014. “I love deals, preferably big deals. That’s how I get my kicks. “
Trump’s biggest legislative achievement was the 2017 tax bill, which passed with only Republican votes. He has signed narrower agreements such as deregulating small and medium-sized banks and a set of changes in criminal law, both of which have enjoyed broad support in Congress.
Anthony Scaramucci, who briefly served as Trump’s communications director, said Trump “has let his personal hatred for Speaker Pelosi interfere with his ability to get a deal.”
“He also has conflict, so the perception that he should be in those negotiations that he finds harmless,” Scaramucci, who now supports Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 election, said in an email. “Result of which not much has been done.”
