President Donald Trump is once again pointing fingers at the “disgraceful” trade deals made by the United States, even though many of those deals were signed by him during his first term.
“We were abused by countries. I blame the president of the United States that happened to be sitting when these deals were made. Disgraceful,” Trump said during a White House meeting with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.
The irony wasn’t lost on critics, considering Trump himself signed major agreements like the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and the Phase One trade deal with China while he was president.
Critics quickly pointed out the contradiction.
Ed Krassenstein, writer, entrepreneur, and social media personality, wrote on X that Trump served four years in office and signed trade agreements during that time.
Other users chimed in as well. One commenter noted that Trump was blaming deals he personally approved, while another accused Ed of “stripping context” to stir outrage.
Some Trump supporters defended him, saying he fixed bad deals from past administrations, while others criticized the way the situation was being portrayed.
Trump’s Confusing Remarks on the USMCA
Earlier this year, during a White House press conference, Trump expressed outrage over the U.S. footing an unfair financial burden under the USMCA, a deal he once praised as “the best agreement we’ve ever made.”
“I look at some of these agreements, I’d read them at night, and I’d say, ‘Who would ever sign a thing like this?'” Trump said.
Yet it was Trump himself who promoted the USMCA in 2020, celebrating it as a major victory over the “nightmare” of NAFTA.
200 Deals? Trump Promises More Details Later
Adding to the confusion, Trump recently claimed in a Time Magazine interview that he has already “made 200 deals” as president.
When pressed for specifics, he refused to name any countries but promised to reveal more details “over the next three to four weeks.”
Trump’s trade team, including adviser Peter Navarro, previously floated the idea of signing 90 deals during the 90-day pause Trump announced after unveiling sweeping new tariffs.
So far, none of those deals have been formally announced.
Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance traveled to India to work on a trade agreement, and talks with Japan continue.
However, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba emphasized that Tokyo wouldn’t be rushed into accepting U.S. demands.
Trump Stands Firm on His Trade Approach
Trump has likened trade negotiations to running a department store.
“On behalf of the American people, I own the store, and I set prices, and I’ll say, if you want to shop here, this is what you have to pay,” he said.
Despite the big claims, many critics, and even Trump himself at times, have acknowledged the U.S. remains entangled in imperfect trade deals.
While Trump insists new tariffs will make America “extremely liquid and rich again,” economists warn they could result in higher costs for American consumers.
For now, Trump says he’s focused on getting “reciprocity” and fixing what he views as decades of bad policy, even if that sometimes means criticizing the very deals he once celebrated.
Trump’s comments have once again stirred debate, exposing glaring contradictions between what he did in office and what he now criticizes.
As he tries to rewrite the narrative, even his own words and deals keep coming back to haunt him.
IMAGE CREDIT: “Donald Trump” by Gage Skidmore, via Flickr. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Image adjusted for layout.