The art of the bluff? A look at Trump as negotiator in chief, from Iran to China

loaded labels: The phrase 'the art of the bluff' frames Trump’s strategy as theatrical and manipulative, implying deception rather than negotiation.

“Call it the art of the bluff.”

fear appeal: Listing extreme threats without immediate context evokes alarm and frames Trump as aggressive and volatile.

“Bombing Iran back to the Stone Age.”

cherry picking: Presents only the most extreme statements without initial context of later de-escalation, creating a one-sided impression.

“Bombing Iran back to the Stone Age. Threatening to double the cost of Chinese imports. Filing multibillion-dollar lawsuits.”

loaded verbs: 'Storms ahead' dramatizes Trump’s actions with a sense of force and recklessness.

“storms ahead”

framing by emphasis: Emphasizes initial aggression over process or outcomes, shaping reader perception toward theatrics.

“storms ahead when embarking on a new policy or seeking to intimidate an adversary”

loaded adjectives: Use of 'fantastic' and 'great leader' without irony or distancing implies endorsement of Trump’s self-framing.

““fantastic” trade deal”

missing historical context: Mentions peace framework fell apart but omits scale of conflict and casualties, downplaying human cost.

“a framework for peace that later fell apart”

single source reporting: Relies solely on Trump’s self-justification without critical examination of its accuracy or consistency with outcomes.

“Trump wrote in his 1987 book “Trump: The Art of the Deal.””

loaded labels: Headline-style phrasing 'flips from... back to' frames Trump as erratic and emotionally volatile.

“Iran flips from 'Stone Ages' to 'very smart people' back to 'scum'”

fear appeal: Quoting extreme threats like 'blasting Iran into oblivion' without immediate contextualization amplifies alarm.

““we are blasting Iran into oblivion or, as they say, back to the Stone Ages!!!””

missing historical context: Fails to mention the assassination of Khamenei and broader war context that triggered Trump’s rhetoric, distorting causality.

“Trump demanded “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!” in a March 6 post.”

loaded adjectives: Describing comments as 'bellicose' applies a judgmental label that frames Trump negatively.

“ranged from the bellicose to the complimentary”

loaded labels: Phrasing 'range from... to...' frames Trump’s behavior as emotionally inconsistent and performative.

“range from 'extremely hostile' to 'very friendly'”

loaded adjectives: 'American eagle battled the Chinese dragon' uses mythologizing language that dramatizes and simplifies complex policy.

“As the American eagle battled the Chinese dragon over trade”

cherry picking: Focuses on tariff increases without discussing economic impacts or inflationary effects on consumers.

“the government is collecting much more in tariffs under Trump”

vague attribution: Refers to unnamed 'libertarian Cato Institute' without specifying whether this reflects institutional or personal views.

“Scott Lincicome, vice president of general economics at the libertarian Cato Institute”

framing by emphasis: Headline-style phrasing downplays severity by focusing on contradiction rather than substance of allegations.

“Trump warns of China election meddling but then acknowledges US does too”

misleading context: Mentions experts say states sell data but doesn't clarify whether that negates the scale or sensitivity of the breach.

“although election experts said states sell the information”

loaded verbs: 'Shrugs off' carries a dismissive connotation, implying irresponsibility or flippancy.

“Trump shrugs off Supreme Court losses”

loaded verbs: 'Worked the refs' is a sports metaphor implying unethical manipulation of institutions.

“Trump worked the refs at the Supreme Court”

fear appeal: Quoting 'WE’RE SCREWED!' in all caps heightens emotional impact and frames Trump as alarmist.

““WE’RE SCREWED!””

loaded adjectives: Use of 'jaw-dropping' in headline-style phrasing reproduces Trump’s self-framing without critical distance.

“still 'jaw-dropping'”

selective coverage: Focuses on settlement amounts without examining whether claims had legal merit or were strategic intimidation.

“settled for millions – less than two-tenths of a percent of his demands”

uncritical authority quotation: Quotes Levine calling settlements 'jaw-dropping' without challenging whether that reflects legal success or coercion.

““The amounts of those settlements standing on their own are jaw-dropping,” Levine said.”

omission: Fails to emphasize the conflict of interest in Trump overseeing the IRS while suing it, a key ethical concern.

“Trump, who oversees the IRS as president, reached an agreement”

vague attribution: Does not clarify whether the judge’s statement was part of a ruling or opinion, affecting weight.

“U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams wrote”

metaphor: Baseball metaphor 'settle for a single' frames negotiation as transactional gamesmanship.

“settle for a single rather than try for home run”

framing by emphasis: Describes war as 'grinds on' without detailing humanitarian impact or international law concerns.

“the war with Iran grinds on”