During crises, urbane diplomats often talk of “finding a ladder” to enable one or more parties involved to climb down from maximalist positions. President Donald Trump is neither urbane nor diplomatic. He has a very different ladder.
The President’s version is a ladder of escalation. He starts at the top and dares you to join him. Given his weight, as leader of the most powerful country on the planet, you might think twice. However, despite playing the unsophisticated naif, from the top of his ladder he’s often smart enough to point towards a door that’s left ajar where negotiations can take place. It’s another example of the maxim some people have still to learn – take Trump seriously, but not literally.
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