Gary Wisenbaker

The Wall Street Journal editorial board recently declared that “Trump Stages a Trade-War Retreat,” as if modifying one’s negotiating position somehow signals defeat. They point to the trade deal successfully negotiated with the United Kingdom for their facetious position.

Quite the opposite. It signals strength, flexibility and the kind of dynamic leadership this country sorely needed after decades of lopsided trade policy. President Donald J. Trump isn’t retreating—he’s advancing with leverage, recalibrating as necessary to put America first.

Something clearly had to be done about our trade imbalance. In his successful 2024 campaign, Trump promised to reset the table and he’s done exactly that.

Consider the scale of the problem. In 2000, the U.S. trade deficit stood at $380 billion. By 2006, it had doubled to nearly $760 billion. It briefly narrowed during the 2008-2009 financial crisis but has steadily worsened since, peaking at over $900 billion during 2021-2022. In 2023, it fell to around $775 billion — but still far too high to be sustainable.

Perhaps the WSJ editorial board and their globalist reporters are happy with these numbers.

But these aren’t just numbers. They reflect a persistent hollowing out of American industry, the offshoring of good-paying jobs and the erosion of our competitive edge in key sectors. For too long, Washington placated global partners while American workers paid the price. Mr. Trump has made clear that those days are over.

Critics lament the supposed “trade war,” but they ignore a critical fact — tariffs are a means, not an end. They are not permanent weapons of economic war; they are bargaining chips. And they’re working. Since the President’s sweeping tariff announcements, more than 75 countries have initiated contact with the U.S. to revisit trade terms.

As of early May, at least 15 have received formal proposals from the U.S. trade representative. Several are already negotiating or have reached preliminary deals.

China, the largest source of our trade deficit — over $400 billion annually before the U.S.-China trade war — initially retaliated with sky-high tariffs. But now they’re back at the table. Talks in Geneva are focused on real issues: fentanyl exports, intellectual property theft and the imbalance in trade. The U.S. has proposed lowering tariffs in exchange for meaningful concessions. That’s negotiation. That’s progress.

The United Kingdom has already secured a bilateral deal. U.S. tariffs on steel and autos are gone, and in return, the UK slashed tariffs on American beef and ethanol. The agreement even includes oversight provisions to reduce Chinese influence in British supply chains — a national security win.

India, one of the fastest-growing major economies, didn’t retaliate at all. Instead, they’re negotiating a “zero-for-zero” deal on auto parts and looking to drop tariffs on U.S. ethane imports. That’s not a retreat. That’s a realignment toward fair, mutual benefit.

Other countries are at the table as well in response to Trump’s bold action including South Korea, Israel, the European Union, Mexico, Canada, and the list goes on.

These moves reflect not chaos, but calculated diplomacy. Yes, the numbers will shift as deals are reached and positions evolve. That’s how negotiations work. Unlike the passive posturing of prior administrations, President Trump understands leverage — and he’s using it to reassert American sovereignty in global markets.

Perhaps the Wall Street Journal editorial board prefers the status quo. After all, the globalist consensus has served Wall Street’s interests just fine, even as Main Street collapsed.

The tariffs aren’t a blunt instrument — they’re a tuning fork. They’re forcing countries to rethink their economic dependencies and offer better deals.

Negotiating international trade deals isn’t a “trade war” retreat. It’s a hard-won offensive, waged not with bombs or ultimatums, but with strategic patience and economic leverage.

Trump isn’t retreating from the field — he’s winning it.

Gary Wisenbaker is a Realtor with Century 21 Realty Advisors and can be reached at gary50155@gmail.com and 912-713-2553.