Stagecraft won't win shutdown battle for Trump

WASHINGTON — Military salutes. Heaps of contraband. Oval Office optics.

President Trump, who has long put a premium on stagecraft, is discovering he cannot resolve the partial government shutdown simply by putting on a show.

With the standoff over paying for his long-promised U.S.-Mexico wall dragging on, the president’s Oval Office address and visit to the Texas border this past week failed to break the logjam. Aides and allies are fearful that he has misjudged Democratic resolve and is running out of negotiating options.

Using the trappings of the White House to make a point is a standard procedure. Dramatic public displays have been Trump’s negotiating go-to. But even Trump was skeptical that the speech and trip would make a difference.

Read more: https://triblive.com/politics/politicalheadlines/14500965-74/analysis-stagecraft-wont-win-shutdown-battle-for-trump