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The Art of No Deal

The Art of No Deal

Trump, the Snake Oil Salesman

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Ben Cable
May 21, 2025
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The Art of No Deal
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During his 2024 campaign, Trump repeatedly vowed he’d end the war “in one day,” even hinting that securing a swift ceasefire might earn him a Nobel Peace Prize. Fast-forward to May 2025: following a two-hour private call with Vladimir Putin, the president abruptly announced that he was stepping aside from any direct role in brokering peace, insisting that Russia and Ukraine handle the negotiations themselves, and noting that the Vatican had offered to host the talks. So Trump finds it too difficult to deliver a day-one promise to end war and leaves war negotiations to the Vatican? Hand-off abandons Ukraine at a critical juncture, undercuts U.S. credibility, and leaves the fate of millions to a diplomatic shortcut rather than authentic American leadership. I pray Pope Leo XIII can help the people of Ukraine.

President Trump will never be a Nobel Prize laureate; Donald Trump is a serial loser. You’d think a guy who styles himself a deal-maker would have fewer spectacular flame-outs. Yet Donald Trump’s record is littered with bankruptcies, abandoned projects, and one flop after another, many of which he has rescued only by leveraging bankruptcy courts, licensing his name, or exploiting political connections. Here are some of the most eye-popping misfires:

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