Where is ‘The Art of the Deal’ when the country needs it most?

In the 19th day of the U.S.’s partial government shutdown, President Donald Trump tweeted after abruptly leaving discussions to reopen the government.

“Just left a meeting with Chuck and Nancy, a total waste of time,” Trump tweeted Wednesday. “I asked what is going to happen in 30 days if I quickly open things up, are you going to approve Border Security which includes a Wall or Steel Barrier? Nancy said, NO. I said bye-bye, nothing else works!”

Trump is referring to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).

Trump asked Pelosi if she would agree to build his wall, she said no and Trump responded with “Then we have nothing to discuss,” reports say. Schumer called Trump’s actions a “temper tantrum.”

They were.

However, Trump should not take all the blame. Actions from each side of the aisle are proving to be ineffective and even more irresponsible.

It seems that the author of “The Art of the Deal” is having quite a bit of trouble negotiating his border policy into existence. Reading even a short part of his book can give some insight to why the government is suffering.

“In most cases I’m very easy to get along with,” Trump wrote in his book from 1987. “I’m very good to people who are good to me. But when people treat me badly or unfairly or try to take advantage of me, my general attitude, all my life, has been to fight back very hard.”

But this fight has gone too far.

Trump is certainly sticking to his guns, but the shutdown isn’t a one-sided problem. As stubborn as Trump may be, the Democratic opposition has proven to be equally determined to get their way.

Sure, leaving in the middle of a discussion is rude, especially when the discussion concerns many federal employees who are missing pay because of the shutdown. Name calling and taking public jabs at someone, like Pelosi did after Trump left Wednesday’s meeting, is also unprofessional and won’t fix the stalemate.

Pelosi said Trump was being “insensitive” to employees affected by the shutdown and make a reference to Trump’s past.

“He thinks maybe they could just ask their father for money, but they can’t,” she said.

Perhaps the Speaker of the House decides to bend on this issue. Perhaps the President of the United States takes another page out of his own book.

“I never get too attached to one deal or one approach,” Trump wrote. “I like to keep a lot of balls in the air, because most deals fall out, no matter how promising they seem at first.”

This “deal” doesn’t seem promising, but the solution starts with fully reopening the federal government, not with discussions between immature leaders.

 

Sam Newlon is a senior majoring in mass communications.