President Donald Trump is steering the United States with the decisive hand of a corporate chief executive, treating the nation as USA Inc. in need of a bold turnaround. This approach, drawing from his real estate and dealmaking roots, has executives buzzing about a pro-business shift that prioritizes growth, efficiency and strategic bets amid surging GDP and market gains.

In Davos last week, Trump hosted dozens of top CEOs for a multi-hour dinner following his address, fostering private-public partnerships that one Fortune 500 leader described as refreshing. ‘It feels like he wants us to win,’ the CEO remarked in closed-door talks, echoing sentiments from five executives interviewed by Fortune.

The economy underscores the momentum: GDP hit 4.4% in Q3 2025, fueled by the AI boom, with markets climbing steadily. Yet challenges loom, including ballooning national debt and AI’s threat to lower-wage jobs, prompting Trump to discard outdated strategies for aggressive revenue plays like tariffs and equity stakes over subsidies.

Turnaround Tactics from the Top

A true turnaround CEO sizes up operations, cuts waste and accelerates pivots, much as Trump is doing by pushing boundaries on trade and investment. His dealmaking style—unpredictable and direct—shines in negotiations with pharma giants, securing price cuts from nine companies through bespoke agreements, as detailed in Fortune‘s cover story.

Intel’s revival exemplifies this: After Trump urged the ouster of its prior CEO, new leader Lip-Bu Tan met with him, announcing sub-2 nanometer chips fully made in America. ‘Honored and delighted to have the full support… as we bring leading edge chip manufacturing back to America,’ Tan posted on X, crediting Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, a frequent collaborator, called Trump an ‘incredibly good listener’ on Joe Rogan’s podcast, while deals with Pfizer and Nippon Steel highlight Trump’s hands-on equity demands, positioning government as a strategic partner.

CEOs Navigate the New Boardroom

Corporate leaders are adapting to this dynamic. Bloomberg reports CEOs playing a high-stakes game of loyalty amid tariffs and feuds, with Target’s Brian Cornell quietly lobbying on consumer impacts and Walmart staying mum after Trump’s ‘EAT THE TARIFFS’ directive. ‘Public feuds and protectionist threats have turned CEOs’ dealings with the White House into a high-stakes game,’ notes Bloomberg.

Yet praise abounds: Five CEOs told Fortune the shift from the prior administration feels invigorating, even if rhetoric draws ‘silent movie’ advice from one exec. Trump’s Davos networking and White House oil executive summits signal a commitment to American dominance in key sectors.

The S&P 500 rose 16% in 2025 despite global underperformance, with economists eyeing continued expansion via AI investments and Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act,’ per the Los Angeles Times.

Tariffs as Revenue Engine

Tariffs have evolved into Trump’s preferred tool for leverage, revenue and reshoring, transforming from taboo to mainstream mercantilism. The Atlantic Council highlights their role in incentivizing manufacturing, with Trump likely to expand them in 2026 despite legal hurdles.

These measures raised household costs by $1,100 last year per the Tax Foundation, cited by CNN, but proponents argue they fund growth without inflation spikes, as 2025 markets proved resilient.

Trump’s pharma deals and chip equity pushes exemplify swapping handouts for ownership, a business staple that’s streamlining subsidies while boosting U.S. stakes in winners like Intel and Nvidia.

Family Ventures Fuel the Vision

Eric Trump’s American Bitcoin aims to crown the U.S. as the crypto capital, mining and holding vast reserves separate from his father’s role. ‘This is a company that I run, and he does a great job running the United States of America,’ Eric told Fortune.

Trump Media’s ‘America First’ ETFs target patriotic themes from energy to defense, countering ESG trends and aligning investments with policy wins. Such moves blend family enterprise with national strategy, amplifying pro-business momentum.

In semiconductors, Trump’s Intel intervention and Nvidia ties are bringing advanced production home, vital for AI leadership and economic security.

Global Deals and Domestic Wins

Trump’s playbook extends abroad: TikTok’s U.S. joint venture with American CEO Adam Presser averted a ban, satisfying national security via a majority-U.S. board including Oracle and Silver Lake execs, as reported by CNBC.

Oil executives discussed Venezuela investments at the White House, per Getty images in Fortune, while sports commissioners prepare Oval Office talks on America 250 celebrations, blending culture with commerce.

The New York Times notes 2025’s solid stock gains and avoided inflation surges, validating the strategy as analysts pivot from peril warnings to resilience praise.

Equity Stakes and Efficiency Drives

Government equity in firms like Intel marks a shift to profit-sharing over blank checks, with Trump demanding CEO changes and compensation tweaks at laggards. Reuters details this ‘visible hand’ in chips, defense and pharma.

Brookings evaluates China’s strategy countermeasures, including rare earth facilities despite permitting snags, underscoring long-term supply chain fortification.

NPR links policies to Project 2025 elements like immigration crackdowns, streamlining operations akin to corporate restructuring for agility.

Outlook for Sustained Surge

Heading into 2026, Trump’s CEO model promises accelerated growth, with AI, crypto and manufacturing as pillars. CEOs’ alignment, from Huang’s endorsements to Tan’s gratitude, signals buy-in from industry titans.

Challenges like debt persist, but the fast-paced agenda—tariffs funding bills, equity yielding returns—positions USA Inc. for profitability. As Fortune posits, this experiment could right the ship, proving business acumen the key to American renewal.