Axios Lists 11 Tested Tactics for Influencing Trump

A new Axios report published Wednesday lays out 11 tactics that business chiefs and foreign leaders say they have successfully used to shape President Donald Trump’s decisions, underscoring how U.S. policy can be swayed by personal appeals rather than formal deliberation. Drawing on interviews with several chief executives, heads of state and current or former White House aides, the article says the most effective strategies include maintaining a calm demeanour, securing in-person meetings, offering symbolic or material gifts and presenting outcomes as personal victories for the president. Those who have dealt with Trump also recommend repeating key points and framing requests in simple, visually arresting terms. The portrait of a highly personalised decision-making process echoes long-standing concerns among diplomats and national-security experts that U.S. positions on trade, defence and foreign affairs may hinge on the president’s individual rapport with visitors. Critics such as human-rights advocate Kenneth Roth called the dynamic “deeply disturbing,” saying issues of war and peace should not depend on catering to a leader’s ego.