Trump Hits China with High Tariffs, the Market Soars, and a Dubai CEO Perfectly Explains The President’s Trade Playbook

So, you’ve got world leaders pulling their hair out trying to “figure out” Donald Trump. Meanwhile, a businessman from Dubai is over here like, “Guys, it’s not that hard.”

Enter Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, the CEO of Dubai-owned ports giant DP World. While speaking at the World Government Summit (because, yes, that’s a real thing), Sulayem basically summed up Trump like he was reviewing The Art of the Deal on Amazon. And he nailed it.

WATCH:

“For Trump, he is looking for fair trade. Fair trade, not free trade… He said many times that if the American market is open, then he expects other countries to open their market.”

Mic drop. Boom. Done. He cracked the Trump code while the rest of the world was still buffering.

And he didn’t stop there.

“He’s a businessman. He wants to make a deal. He wants people to come to the table to discuss… So sometimes he comes with a with a very tough announcement, but what he wants is the people who listen to it to come and sit on the table to negotiate. At the end of the day, he wants to negotiate a deal.”

See? Trump isn’t tweeting chaos for chaos’s sake — he’s just rattling the cage so folks will actually show up to talk business. Honestly, Sulayem could teach a course called “Trump 101: Translate the Bluster.”

Well, on Monday, Trump slapped a flat 25% tariff on steel and aluminum. Yes, even on imports from allies like Canada, Brazil, Mexico, South Korea… and pretty much anyone else who sells us metal. This move was designed to help U.S. industries — and also potentially ignite a global trade brawl. Trump is multitasking for American workers and businesses!

But President Trump was crystal clear on the point:

“The move will simplify tariffs on the metals “so that everyone can understand exactly what it means”, Trump told reporters.”

Translation: No more fine print, no more loopholes — just big, beautiful tariffs.

Now, let’s break down Sulayem’s Trump analysis through the greatest business how-to ever written by a reality TV mogul: Donald Trump’s, The Art of the Deal.

1. 1. Think Big
   Trump emphasizes the importance of having bold, ambitious goals. He believes going big attracts attention, confidence, and better results.

   2. Maximize Options
   A good dealmaker always has alternatives. Trump stresses keeping multiple irons in the fire so you’re never at someone else’s mercy.

   3. Know Your Market
   Success comes from understanding the value of properties, trends in the market, and recognizing opportunities where others don’t.

   4. Use Leverage
   Power in negotiation comes from leverage—having something the other party needs. Trump often used loans, media influence, and political relationships as leverage.

   5. Enhance Your Location
   Trump had a knack for identifying undervalued properties and boosting their value through renovations, branding, and strategic development.

   6. Promote Aggressively
   He believes in controlling the narrative through media and marketing. Trump used publicity as a tool to shape public perception and boost his brand.

   7. Deliver the Goods
   All the hype means nothing if you don’t follow through. Trump explains how executing well is just as important as negotiating a good deal.

Fast forward to Wednesday. Trump walks back some of those hefty tariffs and — BOOM — Wall Street goes into full-on fireworks mode.

“I have authorized a 90 day PAUSE, and a substantially lowered Reciprocal Tariff during this period, of 10%, also effective immediately,” Trump posted on his Truth Social.

And then the punchline:

“Trump, in the same post, said he was raising the tariff on China higher again to 125%.”

So… everyone but China got a break. China? They got benched — hard.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent chimed in, just to clarify:

“All countries except China would return to the 10% baseline tariff rate, down from the higher rates that previously shocked the markets, as negotiations take place. The pause would not apply to sector tariffs,” Bessent said.

And the stock market? It reacted like it just chugged a Red Bull.

• S&P 500: Up 9.52%, biggest jump since 2008.

• Dow Jones: Up 2,962 points, or nearly 8%.

• Nasdaq: Up 12.16%, second-best day ever.

“Given how depressed stock prices and sentiment had become, the 90-day pause is sparking a violent rebound, and delaying implementation certainly removes a giant overhang from the market,” said Vital Knowledge founder Adam Crisafulli. “But — tariffs are not going away. China’s tariff rate is now in triple digit territory, and who knows what happens in 90 days when this pause concludes.”

Translation: Enjoy the sugar rush now, because Round 2 is coming.

While world leaders keep scratching their heads over Trump’s every move, Sultan bin Sulayem is already out here decoding him like it’s child’s play. The man sees the strategy behind the chaos. He gets that Trump isn’t just playing a game — he’s playing the whole table.

So next time the media panics over tariffs, maybe someone should just call Dubai.

#trumptariffs #artofthedeal #americafirst