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There can be a lot to say about President Donald Trump, but one thing no one can deny is that the man understands showmanship. And if there is one place on Earth where showmanship reigns at its best, it's Las Vegas.
But Donald Trump didn't learn how to build a hotel in Las Vegas and count cards or win in slots. He has built many hotels. What he picked up in Las Vegas was the magician's most powerful tool, the wrong direction. The ability to deflect the crowd with one hand will pull away the real magic with the other hand.
And now? He uses the same strategy to get things done for America. Do you love him or hate him? And those who dislike him have a hard time separating him from his policies. Just a little bit will reveal whether President Trump is a crazy genius or if he is just mad.
Former President Donald Trump smiles at the Hispanic Round Table Conference held at the Beauty Association on October 12, 2024 in North Las Vegas. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Let me disassemble it. Misdirection is the art of drawing the other person's attention in one direction, and real play happens elsewhere. This is how the magician pulls the rabbit out of the hat. That's how Trump has always played politics, and he's back on center stage.
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Below are three ways Trump is using the magician's misdirection right now:
1. Tariff hype, but real tariffs were targeted in China
Everyone is crying out about Trump's 10% tariffs in every country – calling it a reckless, inflation, and a new trade war in disguise. But while mainstream media is stuck to the headlines, Trump's real play is completely different. Send a warning message to China and bring back the good old American manufacturing industry.
Consider Trump's tactics. We will announce the policy. Change the policy. We will announce the policy. Change the policy.
Part of being a Master Negotiator is not to let your opponent have a balanced footing. At the end of this massive tariff gust of the past two weeks, the actual tariffs are hitting China hardest at 145%, sending the ultimate message that they will not tolerate manipulative tactics from China.
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In a closed room, the Trump team is simultaneously working with economic advisers to develop a broader industrial plan. It focuses on bringing critical supply chains into the home, encouraging American-made products, and alleviating dangerous dependence on China. Talk about customs? It's just a spark. Fire is economic independence.
2. Customs income, tax association
Of all the tariff fragments, most Americans forget that one of the biggest tax debates in American history is looming around the corner. President Trump signed the Tax Cuts and Employment Act in 2017, and those tax cuts are expected to expire at the end of 2025.
One of the big first questions is how you pay to continue the tax cuts, and what the campaign promises include taxes on tips, taxes on overtime, no tax on Social Security benefits, and more.
Research shows that President Trump's tariff plans (as of April 8, 2025) are projected to increase over $5.2 trillion over a decade on a “strict, traditional” basis and $4.2 trillion on a “partially dynamic” basis commonly used in tariffs. This revenue will be used to reduce federal debt, thereby promoting private investment.
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Instead, the US will no longer be used, as most of the public debate in the media is about trade imbalances and the revival of trade equity around the world, but this is the move of the Master Magicians by President Trump. American family. That means no one is talking about it now.
3. It's not a Nobel Prize, it's a noble cause
The growing tensions between Ukraine and Gaza, and between Taiwan and China, have led to increased global instability. Trump's goal in stopping these wars suggests he is selfish to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
But President Joe Biden has tried to walk the tightrope in hopes of please both the progressive and the Defence Hawk, but Trump is pushing the simple message of peace and disrupting the balance of his enemy through energy, economic strength. If you don't follow, “There's hell to pay.”
President Trump's true goal isn't always to know what this magical trick lies in. Will they take over Greenland? Canada as the 51st state? America Gulf? Do minerals deal with Ukraine?
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If you're not looking at the palm of your hand, what he's looking for is a return to American energy domination through oil, gas, nuclear and even clean coal, in order to regain power from illicit nations like Iran and Russia.
While critics cried out “isolationism,” Trump may just be pulling away from the ultimate trick by creating a platform of controlled strength aimed at protecting America from war by making sure no one wants to fight in the first place. What about the grand finale?
Atlantic City and Las Vegas might have taught Donald Trump that if you want to win the game, you should not only play your hands, but also control where everyone is watching. And while the media, left and even some conservatives continue to fall due to noise, he is laying out a track for a political comeback, part of Houdini, a part of the heavyweight prize money.
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Whether you love him or hate him, Trump knows how to do a show. But don't mistake sizzle for steak. Pass the lights and you see the real tricks. You can get things done for America while others see shiny objects.
Because in politics, like Vegas, great magicians don't succeed in luck. They do it in the wrong direction.
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