Donald Trump’s life-long obsession with the art of the deal is playing out globally as he quickly refashions the White House into his personal fiefdom. The implosion of traditional diplomacy – cautious and protracted – between governments is happening in full view as a political version of reality TV.

From Ukraine to the Middle East, from China to Mexico, from Silicon Valley to the manufacturing Midwest, Trump instead constantly extols his ability to “make a deal” that is, of course, always the biggest, the best, the quickest.