The art of negotiating when power changes hands

In 1987, Donald Trump published "The Art of the Deal", written in collaboration with journalist Tony Schwartz. The book, which became a bestseller, compiles business experiences, reflections, and principles that Trump associated with his negotiation style: ambition, confidence, publicity, calculation, and the pursuit of advantages. It was largely a public presentation of his personality as a businessman.

But today the title takes on a different dimension. Trump will have to prove whether that art works even when circumstances are no longer in his favor.

The elections of November 3 have changed the American political landscape. The Democrats have gained control of the House of Representatives and the Senate, and will assume those majorities in January 2027. The president will still have his executive powers and veto authority, but he will face a Congress capable of blocking much of his agenda, conditioning his initiatives, and exercising intense oversight of his administration.

Here begins the true challenge. Negotiating when we have our finger on the trigger is relatively easy. The difficult part is doing so when the other person has the weapon.

During much of his presidency, Trump has used confrontation, pressure, and imposition as tools of his political strategy. Now he will have to learn to play by different rules. It will no longer be enough to demand compliance or frame every disagreement as a battle he must win.

The Democrats will have their own priorities and may not necessarily be willing to pave the way for you. They will also need to decide how far they want to take the confrontation and how much they are willing to negotiate.

Trump needs to acknowledge this new reality. He will have to identify which parts of his agenda he can still defend, which require modifications, and where it is advisable to make concessions in order to avoid greater setbacks.

It is not about renouncing your principles or handing over the political agenda to your adversaries. It is about understanding that governing also means building agreements, accepting limitations, and distinguishing between a possible victory and a costly stubbornness.

Perhaps this setback will end up providing an opportunity: to demonstrate a different aspect of their leadership, to control impulses, to moderate confrontation, and to turn some defeats into agreements that benefit the country.

Time will tell if it rises to that challenge.

Because one thing is to write about the art of negotiation and another, very different, is to demonstrate it when power changes hands.