Earlier this month, wildfires raged across Canada, especially in Ontario and British Columbia. The resulting smoke plumes drifted south into the U.S., causing hazardous air quality conditions across the Midwest and Northeast. At its peak, more than 100 million Americans were under air quality alerts, with cities like Detroit and Minneapolis recording some of the worst air pollution in the world.On July 17, President Trump posted the following response on Truth Social: Naturally, many were upset with President Trump for threatening to bill Canada for its wildfire smoke, but they’re missing the genius of what he’s really doing, says Glenn Beck. On July 1, the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) reached its six-year review point. The United States announced it would not renew the deal in its current form, triggering a formal review and renegotiation process between the three countries.“On the Canadian side of the table, the asks are already on the record. Ottawa wants relief on sectoral tariffs covering steel, aluminum, autos, and lumber,” says Glenn.But Trump, of course, has his own list of demands — and his billing Canada for its smoke threat? It’s “just that” — “smoke,” says Glenn.“It’s part of the negotiation. The smoke is the opening position — an unanswerable grievance dropped on the table two weeks before we get serious at the negotiating table,” he explains.Trump is doing what any good negotiator does at the beginning of talks: He leads with an outrageous ask so that his opponent is more likely to concede to the rest of his demands.Ben Franklin did this during Revolutionary War negotiations, Glenn recounts.“Franklin asked for Canada. Franklin got everything except Canada. That’s not a coincidence. That’s called a technique in negotiation,” he explains.Trump, he reiterates, “is not putting a tariff on the smoke. He’s two weeks away from sitting down negotiating with Canada. He wants a great deal with Canada.”In other words, he’s intentionally throwing out something outrageous — much like a real estate agent making a laughably low first offer — so that by the end of negotiations, the “crazy” demands have been negotiated away, leaving the real objectives largely fulfilled.“For 40 years, American trade agreements were negotiated by people who opened at ‘reasonable’ because they wanted the applause to come from the other side of the table,” says Glenn.But Trump isn’t after empty applause; he’s after American interests.“We have lost our furniture plants and our steel towns and the tool and die shops. We were told that’s the price of being a grown-up nation. No, we finally have a president who opens up where Ben Franklin opened up: loud, maximum, occasionally absolutely ridiculous, but deliberate,” says Glenn.“And how many Americans are now saying, ‘I’m embarrassed by that’? Embarrassed by whom exactly? By the only man in generations who has walked into a room and asked for too much on your behalf?” he continues.When negotiations are finally over, Glenn hopes these naysayers will see all the good that came from Trump’s little bargaining tactic.“When the paper is finally signed, check the fisheries, check the steel, check the lumber, check the dairy. Ask the dairy workers, ‘Did we get a good deal?’ Ask the American worker who kept losing his job elsewhere if now things are changing here and getting better for them,” he says.“That’s the only column that ever matters — you.”To hear more, watch the video above.Want more from Glenn Beck?To enjoy more of Glenn’s masterful storytelling, thought-provoking analysis, and uncanny ability to make sense of the chaos, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.
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