As Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping attempt to stabilise US-China trade relations on Thursday, a major problem unlikely to go away, no matter what the outcome, is the disjointed signalling and mixed messaging coming out of Washington, undercutting trust and confidence that any deal will even be implemented, say analysts and former officials.
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While governments worldwide face coordination problems, experts say the Trump administration is particularly prone to this. Also adding to concerns are the very differing approaches of the Trump and Xi administrations, they add.
“Nobody knows what the policy will be from day to day, what’s true today will not be true tomorrow,” said Jeffrey Moon, founder of consultancy China Moon Strategies, formerly with the National Security Council. “How do you negotiate with that?”
Personality is part of the equation. Trump tends to bristle at process, coordination or being “managed”, and proudly touts his ability to go with his “gut”, often leaving little room for the vetting, debate and reviews that have regularly made past US policy more consistent.
Trump says Xi meeting scheduled in South Korea
Trump says Xi meeting scheduled in South Korea
Meanwhile, the president’s selective focus and quick turnarounds provide latitude for other cabinet members – many with a far more hardline take on China and adjacent issues – to pursue their own agendas.
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“The president has a short attention span, everyone knows that,” said Dennis Wilder, a Georgetown University professor formerly with the CIA. “You’re not going to be giving him a detailed briefing.”