Korea and the worst possible timing to negotiate with Trump
The idea that South Korea can walk into Washington this week and walk out with a balanced agreement is pure fiction.
Timing is everything in diplomacy, and South Korea has found the worst possible timing to enter trade talks with the Trump administration. With the U.S. mid-tariff offensive and Trump’s desperate need for a public victory, these negotiations won’t be about finding common ground—they’ll be about Trump.
Trump doesn’t negotiate in the traditional sense. He demands, humiliates, and then declares victory. Right now, his administration is under pressure. Every day adds pressure.
The on-again off-again tariffs with exceptions here and there have rattled markets, drawn criticism at home, and left businesses and financial markets in limbo. Something needs to give. Someone needs to fold. And Seoul, battered by domestic political turmoil and isolated diplomatically, is being set up to play the part of the first major concession.
Trump needs a win—plain and simple. His sweeping “Liberation Day” tariffs have triggered economic backlash, raised consumer prices, and rattled global markets. With mounting pressure from domestic industries and a looming election cycle, the administration is desperate to prove the tariffs weren’t just bluster, but a masterstroke of economic brinkmanship. To do that, Trump needs a country to capitulate publicly. He needs a big, bold headline that says “Trump Forces Korea to Pay Up.” Nothing subtle. Nothing bureaucratic. A clean, symbolic surrender that he can hold up as vindication.