From bilateral deals to bold pitches, here’s how business wins in the “America First” era.

The wind in Washington has shifted. President Trump is back, and with him comes a White House that’s part rally stage, part negotiating table. If you’re a CEO in London, a trade minister in Bogotá, or a venture capitalist in Tokyo, you may be wondering how to work with an administration where unpredictability is the norm and creativity and loyalty are rewarded?

Our recent webinar featuring Chase Kroll of The Southern Group Advocates and Brian Walsh, former National Security Council official and advisor to now-Secretary Marco Rubio, offered a clearer picture of this administration’s new playbook. Spoiler alert: forget the old rules.

Deals, not dialogue.

Ideology is dead. What’s replaced it? Pure opportunity. Multilateralism has been torched and global pacts are yesterday’s playbook. In their place is a hunger for bilateral deals that can be branded as wins for American workers and businesses.

President Trump doesn’t negotiate based on shared values. He negotiates based on results. If your proposal can be sold as a U.S. job creator, particularly in red and swing states or strategic industries, you’re not just welcomed, you’re fast-tracked.

Your move: skip the consensus-building tour and bring a bilateral deal that screams “Made for America.”

Pitch bold and directly – today.

Access is everything — the President enjoys personal engagement, whether at Mar-a-Lago or the Oval Office. Walk in with a bold idea and pitch it face-to-face.

The recent Trump visit to the Middle East yielded $2 trillion in deals. Not because of memos or policy briefs. Because people showed up and pitched big. Theatrics matter and so does confidence. Trump notices both.

Your move: bring the deal to him, be bold and be seen.

Relationships are rocket fuel.

Walsh was clear: forget formalities, remember faces. Trump doesn’t trust institutions — he trusts people. Direct rapport with key insiders, such as Stephen Miller, JD Vance, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, is more valuable than a 40-page proposal.

Loyalty matters more than logic. If your ambassador has history with Trumpworld, use it. If your envoy plays golf with JD Vance, set the tee time. That’s how the machine moves.

Your move: Build relationships before making PowerPoint presentations. Get close to the people who can whisper in the President’s ear.

Policy moves fast. You’d better move faster.

This White House can flip the script in 72 hours. Yesterday’s deal? Canceled. Today’s tariff? Doubled. Tomorrow’s credit incentive? Gone before lunch.

Kroll called it the “Etch A Sketch effect.” One tweet, one press conference, and your project’s upside down. But backchannels exist and staffers know what’s coming. Innovative companies are getting a heads-up before information hits the wires.

Your move: invest in developing early warning systems. Know the players. Watch the shadows, not just the spotlight.

Tariffs aren’t threats; they’re tools.

Steel. Semiconductors. Automobiles. The tariff is taking center stage, and it’s not a punishment. It’s leverage. Trump uses tariffs like chess pieces to extract, pressure, and reposition.

The fentanyl crackdown on China? Tariffs. The immigration pressure on Mexico? Tariffs. They’re not walls; they’re bargaining chips. Understand them, use them, don’t fear them.

Your move: study tariffs the way you study tax codes. They may be the key to entry, not the cost of doing business.

America First isn’t just rhetoric. It’s the filter.

Trump’s team scrutinizes every foreign deal like a customs agent with a flashlight. If your proposal smells like China, you’re out. If it’s tech-neutral, U.S.-centric, and jobs-forward? You’re golden.

Want to tap into the Inflation Reduction Act? Prove you’re helping Americans first. It doesn’t matter where your HQ is located. It matters who benefits.

Your move: align with the narrative. Say the quiet part out loud: this is about America. Prove your deal delivers.

Final word: engage or get left behind.

“There’s chaos, but there’s also massive opportunity,” according to Kroll. It’s not a contradiction – it’s the operating system. The Trump White House doesn’t wait or explain. It reacts to momentum, visibility, and boldness.

So, start the conversation. Today. Fly in. Walk in. Be ready. The winners will be the ones who play offense, not defense.

Make it a win for America and you’ll win, too.

Written by Gerges Scott, Senior Vice President at Agenda, a global public affairs firm based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and a member of the Global Communications Alliance.