If GengHis Khan Was President

What Genghis Khan Can Teach Us About Trump’s Tariff Tactics

Today I saw yet another post comparing Donald Trump to Hitler. I find these comparisons lazy at best and at worst simply wrong. A better, more relevant, comparison is Genghis Khan:

Could it be that Donald Trump is deploying tactics not unlike those of Genghis Khan?

Genghis Khan conquered the largest contiguous empire in history through brutal force, cunning strategy, and a masterful use of psychological warfare. Trump, in his more modern (and much more media-saturated) realm, has attempted to reshape global trade using bold demands, tariff threats, and narrative control. Apples and oranges, sure—but dig deeper, and you start to see some uncanny parallels.

Same tactics, different era?

Unpredictability as Strategy

Genghis Khan thrived on doing what no one expected—attacking in winter, crossing impossible terrain, and appearing where he “shouldn’t.” Trump, too, prides himself on unpredictability, both in The Art of the Deal and his tariff threats. China, Mexico, Canada—none of them quite knew what was coming next. And that was the point.

If you’re predictable, you’re controllable. Both Khan and Trump understand that deeply.

Shock and Awe

Khan didn’t nibble at the edges—he overwhelmed. Whole cities surrendered before the first arrow was loosed, terrified by stories of what might happen if they resisted. Trump uses tariffs the same way: as economic shockwaves. Announce, escalate, then see who blinks.

The goal? Force movement through fear of the unknown. Avoid battle by making the cost of battle feel unbearable.

The Binary Frame: Win or Submit

Genghis Khan made it simple: Join the empire and prosper—or resist and face ruin. Trump plays a similar hand. In his world, deals are won or lost. You’re either smart or you’re getting played. There’s no middle ground, and that starkness has power—it compresses complexity into something actionable (and emotional).

Loyal Lieutenants

Khan had Subutai. Trump has Lutnick, Rubio, Bessent, and Hegseth. Delegation is part of dominance—you control the narrative, but you send in trusted operators to do the work. Both leaders understood the value of letting others execute while they focused on building leverage and long-term positioning.

Brand as Weapon

Genghis Khan’s name became a myth, and myths travel faster than horses. Entire nations surrendered in fear of what they heard he could do. Trump, likewise, built a brand so potent that it turned negotiation into theater. It wasn’t just tariffs—it was Trump’s tariffs. Like him or not, that branding changed the playing field.

Food For Thought

Of course, one was a brutal empire builder and the other a real estate mogul turned president. But the overlap in strategic instincts? That’s worth being curious about.

When you view modern negotiation through an ancient lens, you start to see that technology changes faster than human nature. Whether with arrows or tariffs, the game is often the same: create leverage, force clarity, and never let them see your next move coming.