[Reporter’s Notebook] The American Salesmanship Behind Trump's Tariffs

During a recent business trip to Las Vegas, USA, what struck me as unusual was none other than the 'coffee pot.' The hotel room where I stayed for about a week did not have a coffee pot. In Korea and indeed in hotels worldwide, rooms typically come with various tea bags and a coffee pot to boil hot water, but this was not the case in the US. Later, I learned that not only Las Vegas hotels but hotels across the US all lacked them.

Should this be seen as a clever 'sales tactic'? The US does not want tourists to make coffee alone in their rooms. They prefer guests to take their wallets full of dollars, leave the room, and buy coffee at the hotel lobby or external cafes. This 'sales tactic' worked on me as well, and I ended up leaving the room to buy coffee at a cafe on the hotel's first floor.

This tactic is not limited to coffee. Restaurants served meat cooked very salty. People around me said it was a strategy to encourage ordering Coca-Cola. They also said it was part of a bigger picture to keep the US economy running.

This anecdote, which can be interpreted in various ways, came to mind again when observing Donald Trump’s relentless imposition of tariffs. The US is a country that moves in directions aligned with its national interests through meticulous calculations and forming interests both domestically and internationally. Trump, a businessman by background, is more pragmatic than anyone else. In that sense, his indiscriminate application of tariffs makes one think he might be the ‘original American’ himself.

Various analyses have emerged regarding Trump’s tariff policies. In the US, it is interpreted as an inevitable measure to resolve trade imbalances and restore rightful national interests. However, for countries like ours, Canada, and Mexico, who are on the receiving end, it is a bewildering threat. Some even describe it as "close to violence." But considering the US’s nature as a country of sales tactics, tariffs might also be seen as a form of salesmanship.

Experts’ analyses that tariffs could be a ‘bait’ to get what they want turn into conviction. Jang Sang-sik, Director of the International Trade and Commerce Research Institute at the Korea International Trade Association, said, "After announcing tariffs, Trump is likely to leave room for negotiations to hear what he wants and discuss it." Trump recently added ‘deadlines’ after major tariff announcements, essentially saying, "Come and try to persuade me before this date." This can be seen as a ‘high-level strategy’ to gain an advantageous position before sitting at the negotiation table.

We are also within the risk range of Trump’s tariffs. There is a possibility that high tariffs will be imposed on major export items such as semiconductors and automobiles, which are heavily exported to the US. To resolve this crisis, dialogue with the Trump administration is necessary. But are we truly prepared with the ‘art of negotiation’? This is a time when brilliant negotiation and diplomatic skills are desperately needed.