Here’s the deal

Brigadier General Edward G. Burley, USA, (Ret.) | The Philadelphia Inquirer

Donald Trump has relentlessly marketed himself as the ultimate dealmaker, a persona meticulously crafted through reality television, self-promotion, and bombastic rhetoric. He boasts about his supposed prowess in negotiation, claiming unparalleled success in business and politics. However, a closer examination reveals a different story: one of inflated accomplishments, deceit, and a consistent failure to deliver on his promises. Trump’s negotiation record, particularly concerning the release of American prisoners, exposes the charlatan behind the brand.

Trump’s false narrative reached new heights on his Truth Social platform, where he claimed, “I got back many hostages and gave the opposing country NOTHING.” This is not only misleading but emblematic of Trump’s approach — prioritizing self-aggrandizement over the truth. During his presidency, Trump did oversee the release of several American prisoners, but the details of these negotiations tell a story far removed from the “art of the deal” he purports to have mastered.

One notable instance involves the release of Xiyue Wang, a Princeton graduate student detained in Iran in 2016. Wang’s release in December 2019 was not a result of Trump’s unparalleled negotiating skills, but part of a prisoner exchange. The U.S. agreed to release Masoud Soleimani, an Iranian scientist arrested for violating sanctions, in return for Wang. This was a standard diplomatic exchange, yet Trump spun it as a win where he gave “nothing” in return.

Trump’s tendency to claim victories where none exist reflects a broader pattern of deceit that has characterized his public life. His falsehoods, whether about the outcomes of his negotiations or the state of the nation, are part of a strategy to rewrite reality in his favor. This pattern of self-serving deception is not just a quirk of his personality, it is a fundamental threat to the integrity of the office he once held, and the nation he led.