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“On the U.S.’s dairy demands, it will be difficult for Prime Minister Trudeau to take the political risk of making any concessions in this very sensitive area if he has no confidence that NAFTA can ever get done under the Trump administration,” said Lilly.

Trump is in a tunnel by himself

Isabelle Bouchard, director of communications and government relations at the Dairy Farmers of Canada and attendee of all NAFTA negotiating rounds

Trump seems to be making outrageous propositions now (including demanding that Canada end supply management for dairy) to force slightly-more-moderate proposals later, Bouchard said. “He wants it all for America and us, we’re just spectators of his greatness,” she said sarcastically.

The president may want to create enemies in Canada and Mexico that can be blamed for perceived unfairness. They’re a closer target than North Korea. “Either he’s so intelligent that no one can figure out his strategy or the strategy is just to push everybody over the fence,” she said.

“He might want the Americans to believe that they’re in a siege position from everyone. Maybe they should migrate to the moon,” Bouchard said. On the road to getting a good deal for Americans, Trump “seems to be in a tunnel by himself.”

The world is upside down and inside out

Maryscott Greenwood, principal at Dentons’ Public Policy and Regulation group in Washington, D.C. and former American diplomat to Canada

“I think he’s trying to figure out if he can fulfil a campaign promise in some manner, if he can, for example, grow manufacturing in the United States without completely screwing up the economy,” said Greenwood.