Why Trump's tariff tactics are seen as 'Tamasha diplomacy'

US President Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump’s return to the global stage has so far been marked by spectacle over statesmanship — with unpredictability, misstatements and sudden policy shifts often overshadowing meaningful international dialogue.

In recent weeks, some of his most consequential announcements have appeared first on Truth Social rather than through formal diplomatic channels. The approach has unsettled allies, left adversaries guessing and prompted diplomats to quietly work behind the scenes to manage the fallout.

From Vietnam and Canada to South Africa and Colombia, Trump’s recent trade measures have drawn criticism for prioritising political signalling over coherent policy. Some analysts have described the trend as “tamasha diplomacy” — a style marked by high-profile theatrics, questionable claims and abrupt changes in direction.

Here are a few cases that illustrate this

Vietnam tariff chaos

Vietnamese officials thought they had secured a deal to reduce tariffs to 11 per cent. But merely days before the self-imposed July 8 deadline, Trump unilaterally raised the figure to 20 per cent in a call with Vietnam’s general secretary To Lam, who wasn’t even part of the preliminary talks. Trump announced this deal as agreed and sealed through a post on his social media Truth Social even as Vietnam did not agree with and accept the new terms.

The lack of a joint statement, absence of any paperwork spelled speculation regarding the agreement’s true status.

Experts say that such episodes damage US credibility, bringing to fore a pattern – negotiate in private, declare in public and rewrite on the fly.

50% tariff threat over former Brazilian president’s trial

Trump’s trade policy is at the receiving end of criticism as he has turned it into a tool for personal grudges – case in point, the recent Brazil episode.

Trump’s grudge against Brazil’s President Lula boiled over as he threatened 50 per cent tariffs unless the trial of Jair Bolsonaro, the US President’s far-right ally and former Brazilian President, was halted. The threat, devoid of trade logic, was labelled by many as “ideologically” driven blackmail.

Colombia: Deport or get taxed

The US President, earlier this year, threatened sweeping tariffs and sanctions against Colombia in retaliation for its refusal to accept deportation flights. As Trump intensified crackdown on migrants, Colombian President Petro refused to allow two US military aircraft carrying deported Colombian migrants land, which resulted in Trump’s coercive trade diplomacy.

Canada: 51st state of US

In early 2025, Trump imposed a 25 per cent tariff on nearly all goods imported from Canada under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), citing Canada's alleged role in the fentanyl crisis and illegal immigration as justification.

The then Prime Minister Trudeau called Trump's tariff justification "completely bogus" and accused Trump of trying to harm the Canadian economy to facilitate annexation.

Later, he increased tariffs on Canada from 25 per cent to 35 per cent in mid-2025 due to perceived insufficient Canadian action to curb illicit drug flows into the US, and threatened a 40 per cent tariff on goods transhipped to evade tariffs.

Trump’s repeated reference to Canada as 51st US State has reduced the relationship into more theatrics.

South Africa and “White Genocide”

South Africa has been hit with a steep 30 per cent tariff by the US, not over trade deficits, but politics and conspiracy.

Trump echoed right-wing narratives of a “white genocide” in South Africa, a debunked and dangerous theory. Instead of engaging through facts or diplomacy, Trump leaned into disinformation, triggering outrage across BRICS nations.

EU blackmail

As part of what he called “Liberation Day”, Trump slapped EU with 20 per cent tariffs in April 2025. By July, he sought a $600 billion investment in US infrastructure and manufacturing or face a blanket 35 per cent tariff on all EU goods.

The demand was made without any formal agreement or documentation, with EU leaders rejecting it as economic blackmail.

When the EU failed to comply, Trump escalated his threat to a 35 per cent blanket tariff, again without providing meaningful details or process.

100% chip tariffs hits Japan hard

Without any warning or negotiations, Trump slapped 100 per cent tariffs on semiconductor imports, hitting Japanese tech giants hard.

Japanese giants Toyota and Honda have suffered financial setbacks. “Due to the impact of US tariffs and other factors, actual results showed decreased operating income, and the forecast has been revised downward," Toyota said in its first-quarter results summary.

Taiwan’s “Intel” ultimatum

In a move analysts call a strange mix of geopolitics and corporate pressure, Trump told Taiwan it must have TSMC buy nearly half of Intel and invest $400 billion in America, or risk a blanket 15 per cent tariff. No deal is in place, but the warning lingers.

New Zealand: From friends to friction

Despite a longstanding friendship, Trump raised tariffs on New Zealand exports from 10 per cent to 15 per cent. Finance Minister Nicola Willis called it a “very blunt formula,” symbolising how even long-time friends aren’t safe from the show.